


Siren

by HufflepuffChildOfApollo



Series: Siren [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Draco gets bewitched and it doesn't end well, Drastoria, Evil Mermaid, Heavy Angst, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Multi, Not Really Character Death, Possible Character Death, Sad, Sad Ending, Siren Draco Malfoy, Sirens are basically fish werewolves in this story, Unhappy Ending, and Lucius, and here it is, except me, honestly poor Narcissa, i asked for it, kinda gory, lots of blood, particularly chapter eight, the fic nobody asked for, this is just sad tbh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-29
Updated: 2018-12-29
Packaged: 2019-09-30 01:24:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 21,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17214434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HufflepuffChildOfApollo/pseuds/HufflepuffChildOfApollo
Summary: When Draco stumbles upon a secret during his family's trip to America, he'll soon learn that some secrets are best left hidden.Originally on Quotev, I did not steal it. My Quotev is @HPPJOSistersGrimmfan





	1. Discovery

_June 19th, 1995 I still don't know why Mother and Father insisted on dragging me along for this infernal trip. Something about a 'Great business opportunity for Father' that could 'Make us twice as rich'. As if that's necessary. I've barely been allowed out of the house, and when I have I was bitten by mosquitos, rather fiercely. It's been rather wet here, but I've managed thus far to avoid drowning. I'll write more tomorrow, it's nearly 3am._  

Draco Malfoy, age 15, closed his journal, setting down his quill, and tucked the journal securely under his pillow. He yawned, running a hand over his face and probably getting ink all over it, but he was far too tired to care. He laid down, turning out the lamp over his bed, and fell asleep listening to the sounds of the nighttime animals around his family's summer cabin in America. 

He woke early the next morning, when the sun had just risen, and was shining conveniently through his bedroom window, right into his eyes. He groaned, cursing himself for picking the only bedroom facing east, and dragged himself out of bed, throwing some clothes on before walking downstairs to the kitchen. He ordered an elf to fix him breakfast before going to the living room and picking up a book. He read for quite a while, until his mother and father came down the stairs, nearly two hours later. By then he had finished his breakfast and the book, and was now searching through the large bookshelf on the wall. 

"Draco, what are you doing up so early?" his mother asked. "You're normally not such an early riser," she said, picking up his discarded book from the floor and setting it on an end table. 

"Couldn't sleep any longer, the damned sun was shining right in my eyes," he said, picking out a promising-looking book, _'The Complete Works of Lewis Carroll'_. "Is there any way I could get some curtains for my window?"

"I'm afraid not, Draco, or we'd have to install them in every room, otherwise they'd look out of place," Narcissa sighed, placing a hand on her temple. "Your father and I would rather the windows stay open."

"About the open-window situation, Mother..." Draco said, sitting down with his book. "Can't I go outside? I'll stay on the paths..." he lied. In truth, he was hoping to venture as far off the path as he could  — These woods were famous for the many discoveries made inside them, and he secretly hoped he could make another, and finally gain some fame.

 _That'd show Potter. Anyone can beat a Killing Curse if it's weak enough_ , he thought with a sly smirk.  _Not just anyone can become the youngest wizard ever to gain a spot on the Species Discovery list. Hell, even Wizarding Wildlife's youngest explorer was 30 when he found that tomb..._

"Draco, you know I don't like you going out there alone. There are all sorts of things in the woods. I'd feel much better if your father went with you."

"Mother, I'm not a child!" Draco groaned. "And Father won't be home for two more days! It's hot in here, and cramped, and I need air!"

"That's why we have win— What are you reading!?" Narcissa exclaimed, eyes widening and her face curling into a disgusted sneer as she saw the book in her son's hands — The Muggle book. 

"What's wrong with it?" Draco asked, puzzled. "It's just a book." His mother's reaction lit a flame of intrigue in him — What could be so bad about this book that he wasn't permitted to read? It certainly didn't look anything like the spicy romance novels he'd seen his mother reading late at night by the fire, that she had forbidden him to touch until he was at least twenty-five. 

"Draco, that is a _Muggle_  book. By a _Muggle_ author," Narcissa hissed quietly, as if afraid someone would hear the dreadful news that the Pureblood heir to the Malfoy fortune was touching a Muggle book. 

"Oh," Draco said, a little disappointed. He put the book down, suddenly losing interest in it, and fought the urge to run to the bathroom and wash his hands. _No need for drama_ , he thought. He sighed. "Mother, I'll be fine if I just go outside for a bit. I can't stay inside the entire trip, can I?" 

Narcissa sighed. "What if something happens to you...Lucius won't be back for two more days, and I can't very well go out there."

"I'll bring my wand! Please, Mother?" he begged, widening his eyes and trying to look as sweet as possible. Narcissa finally gave in when his eyes started to water —  He hadn't meant for it to happen, but keeping his eyes open that wide, for that long dried them out quite a bit. 

"Oh, alright," she said, caving. "You can go out until lunch. But stay on the path, and keep your wand out. And bring your field guide, so you don't touch any poisonous plants." Draco grinned like a child in Honeyduke's.

"Thanks!" he said, hurrying to his room. He grabbed his old schoolbag —  He'd gotten a new one two years before, when his old one had ripped apart, but he'd had an elf repair the old one, and he used it for such things as toting his books and the occasional snack around the Manor when he had too much to carry, or on expeditions such as this  — Not that he was allowed many of those. After the fiasco two years before with the Hippogriff, his mother was reluctant at best about sending him anywhere there was a chance of him having contact with some creature.

Draco grabbed his hiking boots, lacing them and pulling them on, and a raincoat just in case; The sky outside was rather gray, and he didn't fancy getting his clothes wet. He grabbed his field guide, journal, a leaf press (and a leaf collection bag, in case he found any valuable potion ingredients), a small first-aid kit (which he'd made himself, after he'd used up the other one on treating wounds received practicing Quidditch), and an old, torn-up shirt he'd saved for the occasion. He had an elf tear the shirt into strips so he could tie them around trees and mark his own path. As he walked out through the kitchen he grabbed three apples and a bag of Freyda's Best Sugared Pretzels (coated in Honeyduke's chocolate), which he'd taken a liking to. His mother disapproved of him eating so much sugar — _That's rich, since you send me a week's worth of sweets daily while I'm at school,_  he'd thought with a roll of his eyes, more than once, when she scolded him  — but his father helpfully ended the argument by saying that he had eaten  _five times as much sugar_ when  _he_ was young, and  _really, Narcissa_ , it's nothing to _fuss_ over. Draco finally headed out the door, just as the clock was striking eight o'clock.

  He ambled down the path for a while, humming the tune to a Weird Sisters song and occasionally picking up an interesting leaf or rock, until he reached a fork in the path. Instead of taking one of the forks, he went off directly to the left, where the way was rough and unmarked. He paused once in a while to tie a bit of his torn shirt around a tree so he wouldn't get lost. 

Draco continued his trek through the forest for a good hour without any incident, and was close to turning around and exploring in the other direction, when he saw in the distance what looked like a cave. He ran toward it as fast as he could, digging his journal out of his bag. He half-slid down the large hill, and made his way down the ravine to the mouth of the cave, into which a stream was flowing. He walked inside the cave, looking around. There was a small drop-off, where the stream got deeper, and everything was covered with a layer of moss and vegetation. Draco checked his field guide, and was pleased to see there were no caves on any map of the area. _Excellent_ , he thought, writing down his find in his journal. _I must be the firs —_ His thoughts were cut short by a low humming sound, echoing through the cave. 

"Hello?" he called, and the humming stopped. He waited silently for a minute, and the humming started again. He could tell from the sound that it was a girl.  _Great. Came all this way, just to get beaten by a girl_. "Oi! Who's in here?"

The humming stopped, and a voice shouted, "Who are you?"

Draco bit his lip, groaning. _Definitely a girl._ "I'm Draco Malfoy!" he said, looking around for the source of the voice. "Who are you? Show yourself!"  

"What are you doing in my cave!" the voice said accusingly, now sounding much nearer. Draco reached into his bag, grasping his wand. 

"I-I got lost!" he said, as convincingly as possible, looking around. "Where are you!?"

Suddenly he felt something cold and wet encircle his ankle tightly. He looked down, eyes widening when he saw a girl, no older than he, with pale skin and long black hair, grasping his ankle tightly. From the neck down she was submerged in the murky water, but what he could see of her, he liked; She had large, curious brown eyes, a button nose, and delicate pink lips. Her skin was very pale, and her hair flowed out behind her at least three feet. A slight scowl rested upon her lips, and her eyes were narrowed suspiciously. 

"Why are you in my woods?" she asked, her grip on Draco's ankle loosening slightly. Her brown eyes searched him up and down, one eyebrow raised. "You don't sound like you're from here."

"I'm not, just visiting," Draco answered, pulling his leg out of her grip. "I was exploring. Wanted to see what I could find. And since when are they  _your_  woods?" 

The girl tilted her head, gazing into his eyes. "I live here. In this cave, actually. And I don't care much for trespassers."

 _Damn it!_ Draco thought.  _She beat me big-time!_  He shook it off and  rolled his eyes. "At least tell me your name before I leave," he said.  _I want to know what name to put on the lawsuit._   The girl raised a brow, smiling a bit.

"My name is Raidne. It's been nice meeting you, Draco Malfoy." She waved him away. "Now, go." Draco nodded and turned to leave, and Raidne swam away; As she did, Draco turned for one last look at her. His eyes widened when he saw a silver-and-purple, scaled tail splashing into the water behind her.

He hurried home as fast as he could, ignoring his mother's greeting as he ran into his bedroom and jumped onto his bed, digging out his journal and writing down every detail of what he'd seen in the cave, and drawing a map of how to get back there; He had every intention of visiting Raidne again the next day. He grinned excitedly as he ran off to look through every book on mermaids that the house contained. That night, he stayed awake for hours after his parent's quiet conversations had faded away into snores in the other room, and he fell asleep with a book still open across his chest, and another on his lap.


	2. Secrecy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's some blood in this chapter, just to warn ya

_June 26th, 1995_

_I have a dilemma. On one hand, I really want to tell Mother and Father of my new discovery. On the other hand, I've been talking to Raidne, and she's told me that she's seen merpeople torn from their families because of explorers and scientists, experimented on until there was no life left in their bodies. I don't want that to happen to Raidne, she's been through enough. The very reason she's here, after all, is because of careless scientists. Mermaids aren't supposed to speak English, after all, are they? She's counting on me. I'm planning to go see her later. It's weird, I've only known her for a week, but...I think I like her. I'll be going now, it's nearly seven, and I haven't had breakfast yet. I want to go see Raidne as soon as possible. Mother said I didn't have to come home for lunch, as long as I brought some food with me. Raidne seems to like apples, so I'll bring a couple extras. Mother won't question it, she'll likely be happy I'm eating something healthy. I'll write some more l_ _ater._

Draco put his journal in his bag, standing up from his bed. He tossed on his raincoat, slinging his bag over his shoulder. He went downstairs, saying a quick goodbye to his parents  Lucius had returned from his business trip the day before, a little later than they'd planned and he ran out into the pouring rain. He got to Raidne's cave within an hour, having memorized the route, and nearly slipped going down the hill. He smiled when he saw Raidne, sitting on a rock outside the cave. He ran down the ravine, stopping just before he smacked into the rock. 

"Raidne!" he exclaimed, smiling. "You came out of the cave!"

Raidne smiled, showing her straight, slightly pointed teeth. "The weather was too nice to resist. Thanks for the shirt, by the way." She plucked at the white, slightly stained shirt he'd given her. Draco noticed that, outside the dark cave, Raidne's skin looked rather tan, particularly in contrast to the shirt. "It gets a bit chilly in the cave at night." Draco nodded, a little distracted by the way the silvery scales on her arms shimmered in the dim light from the sun, which was just peeking through the clouds. 

"No problem," he said, cracking a smile. "It's nice to see you out of the cave, you look healthier." He inwardly cursed himself.  _'You look healthier,' what are you, her mother? Up your game, you idiot!_ "I -I mean, you look nice. Not that you didn't already." 

 ~~~~Raidne smiled, making a quiet humming sound, and Draco felt a sudden tugging sensation in his stomach. Raidne's eyes widened slightly. "I'm sorry, are you alright?" she asked. Draco nodded, puzzled.

"I'm fine. Why?"

"I...Never mind." Raidne smiled nervously. "Why're you wearing that coat? It's not cold." She reached over, running her hand along the stiff, dark green material of his raincoat. I

 "I didn't want my clothes to get wet," he replied. "Mother would have a cow." He sat down next to Raidne on the rock, getting two apples out of his bag and offering her one. "Here, I  figured you might want this."

 Raidne smiled, taking the apple, and sank her pointed teeth deep into it. "Thank you, Draco," she said. 

 "You're welcome."

* * *

The next two weeks continued in much the same way; Draco would go to the cave and visit Raidne, bringing her a couple of apples and occasionally a book; They'd sit and talk for a few hours, then he'd go home.  Each day, Draco got more and more desperate to see her again; He'd get home as late as he could, eat quickly, then go right to bed, waking up as early as possible to see her, and sometimes even leaving before his parents were up. 

One day, as he was nearing the cave,  Draco heard a beautiful sound — Beautiful and indescribable. He felt that tugging sensation in his stomach again, and briefly wondered whether he was going to be sick, before a blissful calm washed over him. He faintly heard a soft voice singing, somewhere in the back of his mind.  Draco continued on his way, following the sound. He finally got to the  ravine, eyes widening when he saw Raidne sitting on the rock outside the cave, where they'd met several times previously. 

Raidne had her back to him, her head tilted back, her wet, dark hair hanging down and clinging to her skin, Draco's old shirt tied around her waist. Draco bit his lip, feeling his cheeks growing warm, and averted his eyes as Raidne turned around. Raidne saw  him, smiling, slid into the water, swimming away into the cave. Draco followed her quickly, the song still playing faintly in his head. He knelt down by the pool of water in the cave, waiting for Raidne to appear. She soon surfaced, a smile on her face, which shined silver in the light shining in through the mouth of the cave. "Hey," she said, and Draco felt that tugging sensation again as she took his  hands in hers. 

"H-hey," he said, thankful that it was dark so she couldn't see  the blush he felt rising in his cheeks. Raidne grinned, humming softly. 

"I was hoping you'd show up. I missed you." She ran her hands up his arms to rest on his shoulders, pulling him down towards the water. He leaned down, holding onto the branch of a tree that was growing beside the pool so he wouldn't fall in. 

"I missed you too. Mother nearly didn't let me leave today, she wanted me to eat breakfast first..." He rolled his eyes. "I didn't want to wait, though. I told her I'd eat something on the way out. I think she's getting suspicious."

Raidne frowned, her brow furrowed in concern. "She can't know."

"I know, Raidne. I won't tell her, " Draco said solemnly. "I promise."

Raidne smiled, pulling Draco closer. "Good," she whispered, resting her forehead against his. "That's perfect."

 Draco should have expected what came next, but he didn't. Suddenly Raidne's lips were on his, and her arms around his neck, her chest pressed against his. Draco wrapped his free arm around her waist, closing his eyes. Raidne in turn closed her eyes. She pulled away after a few moments, running a finger along his lips, which now had a pair of small puncture wounds on the inside edge. "Absolutely perfect."

* * *

 Draco arrived home late, in a bit of a daze. He'd somehow managed to get lost twice on the way back to the cabin, and he could barely remember anything from that day, except for the feeling of cool, salty lips on his own. He stumbled into the house, depositing his bag on the kitchen table as he walked past. He went up to his bedroom, closing the door. Not five minutes later there was a knock on the door, but before he could respond the door had already opened, and his mother walked in, closing the door behind her.

"Draco," she said, setting his bag on the bed. "I've told you not to leave your bag on the table," she gently scolded. 

"I'm sorry, Mother. I won't do it again," he said, hoping she'd leave. Much to his annoyance, she didn't. 

"Draco, are you feeling alright?" she asked, sitting on his bed beside him. "You're bleeding..." She ran her thumb over the puncture wounds on his lip, frowning. "What happened?"

"I'm bleeding?" Draco asked, putting his hand to his lips, his fingers coming away with blood on them. "I don't know why I'm bleeding..."

Narcissa frowned, putting her hand on his forehead. "You're warm...have you eaten today?" Draco nodded, but his gaze flickered for a moment to his bag, where all three of the apples he'd taken that morning still lay. Narcissa frowned, taking the apples out. "Draco, why haven't you been eating? Yesterday, you barely ate any of your dinner. You've been going to bed early, waking up and leaving before your father and I are even up on some days, staying out all day. And now this... " She sighed, placing an apple in his hand and smoothing his hair out. "Eat this. And tomorrow, you're staying inside. It's supposed to rain again, and I don't want you to get sick." Draco instantly felt a rush of panic.

"No! I can't stay inside! Please, I'll do anything, I-I can't just stay in all day!" he said hysterically. Narcissa frowned, gently pushing him back onto the bed. 

"Draco, you need to rest. Please. I know you want to be outside, doing...whatever it is you do, but I don't want you to get hurt. Now, eat that apple. I'll get you some dittany for your lip." She stood up and walked out of the room, and Draco stared blankly at the apple in his hand. He hadn't realized until now how hungry he was — He hadn't eaten at all until dinner the day before, and not much of that, and he'd had nothing at all since then. He took a bite of the apple, and had soon finished off the whole thing, wiping his mouth on the sleeve of his shirt. Not long after, Narcissa walked back in, a bottle in each hand. 

"Here," she said, giving him the smaller bottle. "That's a ten-hour Dreamless Sleep potion. Drink that, and I'll fix your lip." Draco was too dazed to really comprehend what she'd said, but drank the contents of  the bottle all the same. He barely felt it when his mother cleaned and healed the wounds on his lip. She soon finished, and Draco immediately fell back onto his pillows, already asleep. She untied his boots and pulled them off, and used a spell to clean the mud and moss off his clothes before tucking the covers under his chin and lightly kissing his head.

"Goodnight," she whispered as she straightened up, walking out and closing the door. She walked down the stairs, going to the living room. 

"Lucius," she said, and her husband looked up from the book he was reading. Narcissa clutched the washcloth she was holding, stained with Draco's blood. "I need a favor."


	3. Trouble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco's parents are trying to help, Draco doesn't want them to, and Raidne's plans are coming to fruition.

_July 10th, 1995_

_I have been confined in this blasted house for three days. I'm sure Raidne is getting worried. Mother says I'm not allowed to leave until I tell her where I've been going. Father is running tests on me, to make sure I haven't been infected with some virus that's going around. I don't understand why I can't go outside, it's suffocating in here. Mother's even closed the windows now, after last night's failed escape attempt. I haven't left my room since, as a form of protest. That doesn't stop Mother from coming in here, unfortunately. I've already given her three different false stories by accident   The first, I was in a fevered half-sleep, so it wasn't terribly consequential, but the second and third were wildly different, and I was in a perfectly clear state of mind at the time. I don't know what's going on, my mind isn't working right lately...Thankfully I haven't forgotten Raidne. Hopefully I'll be allowed out soon. I haven't been sleeping properly. I can't, I feel too guilty for leaving Raidne. I should try to get some sleep now, though. It's nearly two o'clock._

* * *

Lucius frowned at the piece of paper in his hand, adjusting his glasses and peering closer at it. His frown deepened, his brow furrowing.  _This can't be right,_ he thought.  _There isn't any ocean to speak of for kilometers around here...Or any water at all, for that matter._ He checked a map on the wall, frowning. There was a small spring a few towns over, but not anywhere close enough for Draco to   _Wait. Where does that spring lead?_ he thought, running his finger along the blue line, until it reached..."The edge of the woods. Of course..." he sighed. "Unexplored territory." He threw himself into an armchair, pinching the bridge of his nose. "What am I going to tell Narcissa..."

"Tell me about what, Lucius?" 

Narcissa stepped into the study, flanked by several elves, one holding a pot of boiling water, one holding a pile of towels, and one with a case full of oils and potions. Narcissa waved them off, and they scurried away, presumably to the bathhouse out back. "What are you going to tell me about what?" 

Lucius sighed, standing. "Narcissa, I got the test results back..."

Narcissa's eyes widened. "And!?" she said, rushing forward and grabbing his wrists. "What do they say?" she asked, frantic. "What's wrong with him?"

Lucius sighed, gently grabbing Narcissa's arms and easing her into the armchair. "Narcissa, you won't like this." He took a deep breath and sat down in the chair across from hers. "He's been bitten by..." He hesitated. "A Siren. Bitten by a Siren."

Narcissa gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "But-but there's no water anywhere around here!" 

"That's what I thought too," Lucius said grimly. "However, after examining this map, I found that there is a stream that runs from a few towns over, into..." He sighed. "the unmapped territory in these woods." 

Narcissa frowned. "But...He promised to stay on the path!" She stood and looked up at Lucius. "How..how could he be bitten? He knows about Sirens! The only way one can bite you is...if you kiss them..." She fell silent, sinking into her chair. "How could we let this happen, Lucius?" she said, looking up at him with tear-filled eyes. "My son...How long is it before...?"

"Symptoms have likely already set in," Lucius said, his voice rough and distant. "I can call in some experts for help, but there's no telling how long he's been influenced..."

Narcissa sighed. "I can ask him. I'll just tell him I know where he's been going. It'll be fine. Just...get experts, get Newt Scamander if you must, just get someone to help our son..." her voice faded into a shaky whisper and she hung her head, and Lucius realized she was sobbing. He hugged her tightly, sighing. 

"I'll do whatever I can," he whispered. "In the meantime, try to gain his trust back. Try and keep him awake, the more he sleeps the quicker the symptoms will set in. But keep him rested."

Narcissa nodded, muttering to herself, "Awake, rested, trust..." She looked up at Lucius. "What about going outside, will that help?"

"It might, fresh air will certainly help clear his mind. Just don't let him wander off." Lucius sighed. "I'll go ahead and start writing. Severus may be able to help..." he pulled away and walked back to his desk, getting out a stack of stationery and envelopes, as well as a bottle of ink and  several quills. Narcissa sighed, walking out, and went to Draco's room and knocked on the door.

"What do you want?" came Draco's grouchy voice from behind the door. 

"I just want to talk with you," Narcissa said gently, drying her eyes on her sleeve. "Can I come in? I promise, I only want to help you." 

Silence. Then, finally, a hesitant, "Alright." Narcissa opened the door as walked in, looking over at Draco, who was sitting on his bed, staring at the wall. Narcissa frowned, sitting on his bed. Draco ignored her, continuing to glare at the wall as if it had done him a personal wrong. 

"Draco, I know where you've been going." Draco suddenly looked at her, shocked. 

"Mother, I"

Narcissa held up a hand to silence him. "Let me finish." Draco fell silent, and Narcissa cleared her throat. "Draco, I know you're not going to like this, but you need to hear it. You're under a spell. Bewitched by a Siren." Draco shook his head, but Narcissa kept pushing. "Draco, you're not in trouble. I'm trying to help you. Now, I need to know how long ago you met her."

"I haven't, because she's not a Siren!" Draco snapped. "I've read up on mermaids."

"Draco, Sirens can make you forget about anything they want to, which is why you can't go back to her."

Draco's eyes widened, and he stammered. "M-Mother!"

Narcissa sighed. "I know you're upset, but I don't want to lose you. There's still a chance for you, as long as you don't go back there —"

" _Ever?"_  Draco's voice cracked, and his knuckles turned white as he clutched his sheets. "You can't keep me inside forever! Raidne — She'll be worried!" 

Narcissa frowned. "Rethnie?" 

 "She's expecting me! I've already stayed away from her for three days! She must be so worried..." Draco looked down. "I...I have to go back there." 

Narcissa shook her head. "Draco, she's poisoning your mind. Like an addiction." She took his hand, but he jerked it away. 

"I don't need your help! I need Raidne! I'm going to her." Draco stood, stumbling, and Narcissa put her hands on his shoulders to support him. "Let go of me," he snapped, pushing her off and stumbling backwards. "Leave me alone..." 

Narcissa gasped as he ran down the stairs, and out the front door, just as Lucius walked in. Narcissa ran out after Draco, calling to Lucius, "HELP ME!" Lucius ran after Draco, drawing his wand.

Draco ran  through the woods, following the familiar route to  the cave. He fell down when he was running down the hill, but he got back up and kept running, ignoring the pain in his leg. He reached the mouth of the cave and stumbled inside, leaning against the wall. He panted heavily, his chest hurting from running so fast. He fell to his knees by the water, closing his eyes. 

"Raidne?" he said, his voice breaking. "Raidne, please come out. They know. They know about us, I'm so sorry..." He reached his hand into the water, gasping at the chill the cold water sent through him. "Please come out," he whispered brokenly, feeling hot tears running down his face. 

"Draco?" a soft voice said, and he felt a hand lace its fingers through his. He opened his eyes, smiling when he saw Raidne in front of him. Her skin seemed to glow even brighter than usual, and her eyes were wide with concern. "How did they find out?"

 "I don't know, I...Mother said you're a Siren... I'm so sorry, I wasn't allowed out of the house..." Draco leaned his forehead against hers, closing his eyes. "I didn't mean to leave you for so long..."

Raidne frowned, putting her hands on his face and looking at him. He opened his eyes and looked into hers, feeling the tugging sensation again. He knew what he had to do. Just as he heard the footsteps of his Mother and Father echoing in the cave, he wrapped his arms around Raidne and pulled her close, capturing her lips with his. 

 "NO!" Narcissa screamed, and Raidne smirked, pulling Draco closer to her. She glanced at his hand, pleased to see his skin was already turning a dull gray color. She chuckled quietly as Draco suddenly gasped, his hands tightening on her waist, before falling limply against her. Raidne smiled at her job well done, pushing him off of her, onto the cold stone floor of the cave. Narcissa and Lucius rushed forward, and Raidne quickly dove into the water, swimming away.

Narcissa fell to her knees beside her son, clutching his hand. "No, Draco, please!" she begged, and looked up at Lucius. "Do something!" 

Lucius swallowed hard, stepping forward and carefully picking up the thin, lifeless body of his son. He looked at Narcissa, whose eyes shined with tears, and sighed. "Let's take him home."


	4. Healing

_July 15th, 1995_

_Draco has still not woken up. His lips are bleeding again, and won't stop. The Healers are doing everything they can to help him, but I've heard them whispering in the halls. They think it's a lost cause. I'm not willing to accept that._

_Raidne has been captured, and taken to the Department for Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, and will be questioned about her role in Draco's illness. Lucius is pushing for execution, but there's a Potions lab nearby who want to use her venom. The Healers managed to extract some from the wounds on Draco's lips, and have been working on reverse-engineering it to create an antidote. Andromeda stopped by yesterday — Lucius sent her away before I could see her. Probably for the best._

_I probably need to rest, I've been up for two days now. I'll check in on Draco first._

Narcissa put down her borrowed quill, sighing, and stood up from the uncomfortable waiting room chair she was in, tucking her journal into the pocket of her dress. She placed a gentle kiss on Lucius's forehead, leaving him asleep in his chair. Then she walked quietly to the ward Draco was in — The "Dangerous" Dai Llewellyn Ward for Serious Bites. They'd transported him to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries the day before, and the Healers had been working around the clock.

There were only two occupied beds at the moment; Draco's, and that of a woman who'd been handling a Chimaera too carelessly. Narcissa  strode over to her son's bed, around which the curtains were drawn. She could hear the Healers conversing in hushed tones behind the curtain, and frowned, pulling the curtain back. The Healers looked at her, surprised. Narcissa cleared her throat. 

 "May I please have a moment with my son?" she asked, and the Healers hesitated before  nodding. 

 "Yes, ma'am," Healer Smethwyck said, glancing at the other Healer. "But...try to stay calm. He doesn't need to be agitated." 

 Narcissa frowned, about to ask what he meant, but he'd already stepped aside, and Narcissa  gasped at the sight before her. 

Draco was curled up on the bed, his eyes opened a little. His skin was a shade so pale it was close to lavender. His hair hung in his eyes, which Narcissa could see were such a dark grey they were almost black, and dried blood covered his chin, neck and chest. His hands, balled into fists, were dry and had a slightly iridescent sheen around the knuckles, and his upper arms were red and irritated-looking. And, above all else — Draco was awake. 

Narcissa rushed forward, pulling him into a tight hug. "Oh, thank heavens, you're awake..." She pulled back, brushing his greasy, matted hair away from his eyes. "Are you feeling alright? How much can you remember?"

Draco groaned, bringing one hand up to shield his eyes from the bright light. "Mother...? What happened? Where am I? Everything hurts..." He looked up at Narcissa, and she bit back a sob at the  pain written clearly on his face; So different it was to the times he'd feigned pain to be allowed to stay up late and be fussed over, this was real pain — and it showed. 

 "You're at St. Mungo's, dear," Narcissa said gently, sitting on the cot and cradling him to her chest. He winced as her hand brushed against his upper arm, and she kissed his head apologetically. "I'm sorry," she whispered, holding him close; She could feel every rib through his skin, and every visible vein stood out clearly against the whitish-grey flesh surrounding it.  

"I'm cold," Draco said quietly, almost sounding scared to speak. Narcissa frowned, pulling the thin sheet up to cover him. He looked at her gratefully — An expression she hadn't seen on his face since he was very young. She sighed, kissing his forehead. He leaned on her, wincing as he moved his arm. Narcissa looked at the Healers, frowning. 

 "Isn't there some potion you can give him to stop the pain?" 

 Smethwyck spoke up. "We already have, it should take effect in a few minutes. We didn't expect him to wake up so soon." 

Narcissa sighed, looking at Draco. "Is there anything you need? Are you hungry, thirsty?" 

Draco nodded slightly. "Thirsty."

Narcissa kissed his head and looked at Healer Smethwyck. "Could you get him some water?" 

He nodded, looking at the trainee Healer — Augustus Pye — and nudging him. "Pye, will you go get water?" 

Pye nodded and walked out, coming back a moment later with a glass and a pitcher of water. He set them on the bedside table and said something to Smethwyck before walking out. Narcissa poured some of the water into the glass, offering it to Draco. He drank it quickly, his hands shaking as he lowered the glass from his bloody lips. Narcissa sighed, picking up a washcloth and wetting it. "Look up here," she said, tilting Draco's head up and gently cleaning the blood off his face and chest. Draco winced, but relaxed a little. Narcissa finished cleaning him up and set the washcloth aside. "Are you alright?" She asked.

"I'm cold..." Draco mumbled, seeming dazed. Narcissa supposed the pain potion was taking effect, which could be making his mind a little cloudy. "Mother, I...I'm cold. I haven't got my clothes on..." 

 Narcissa sighed, pulling the covers over him again. "You should be able to leave before too long." In truth, she didn't know how long it would be before he could leave, if at all. "You'll be fine." She kissed his cheek.

"Get some rest," she said, standing up. "I'll be back later." 

Draco nodded slightly, closing his eyes. Narcissa sighed, heading out. As she reached the door, Healer Smethwyck beckoned her over. She walked over, frowning. "What is it?" she asked, and Healer Smethwyck sighed.

"Mrs. Malfoy, I hate to be the bearer of bad news," he began, but Narcissa held up a hand.

"Can it wait? I need to rest."

Healer Smethwyck looked at her, stammering. "Well, I suppose so. Enjoy your rest, ma'am."

Narcissa nodded, walking back to the waiting room. She sat down in her chair, closing her eyes, and soon fell asleep.


	5. Awake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco is no longer unconscious. However, he's in for an unpleasant surprise.

Draco gasped as, for the seventh time that night, he woke up from the same dream. He clutched his head, trying to rid himself of the repetitive, haunting song that kept waking him. He glanced around, realizing he wasn't in his own room at the manor, nor was he in his bed at the cabin. I'm fact, he wasn't in any room he recognized. He shivered, pulling the covers up to his chin, wincing as they brushed against his irritated skin. 

"Mother!" he whisper-shouted into the near-empty room. He swung his legs around to the side of the bed, standing up, but when he tried to walk he fell over. He wondered if he'd gotten tangled up in his covers, but instead he was met with a truly disturbing sight: From his ankles up, Draco's legs were joined together by a thin strip of skin that had definitely not been there before. So, he did the rational thing. 

He screamed.

A wizard in official-looking lime-green robes rushed in, followed closely by Draco's mother and father, both of whom looked worried. He looked up at them, eyes wide and watering with pain; The fall had caused him to hit his already aching hip on the floor. His mother rushed forward, hooking her elbows under his armpits, and helped him to his feet, before seeing the bizarre... _whatever_ that was keeping his legs stuck together, screamed, and dropped  him.

"Ow!" he exclaimed, landing on his chest, hard. "Mother!" 

Narcissa gasped. "Oh, I'm sorry..." She sighed. "Lucius, help me..." Lucius walked over and helped her lift Draco back onto the bed. He winced, laying down on the bed — Very uncomfortably, as his hips were still aching. The wizard in the green robes hurried forward, taking out his wand. He waved his wand over Draco, frowning. 

"It appears," he began, "that the venom was stronger than we anticipated." He put his wand away, sighing. 

"Can you do anything about it?" Narcissa asked, and Draco nodded, his eyes wide, whimpering, "Please."

The wizard — Who Draco by now had guessed was a Healer — sighed. "We can easily remove that—" He nodded towards Draco. "But the scales—"

" _Scales!?"_ Draco interrupted, eyes wide. "What scales!?"''

"They usually don't develop for a few months, though in rare cases we—"

"Could  _somebody_ explain what the _hell_ is happening to me!?" Draco said hysterically. "Where am I? What day is it? Why do I have this- this  _thing,_ and, for crying out loud,  _why am I here!?"_

Narcissa sighed, putting her hand gently on his shoulder. "Draco, how much of the last three weeks do you remember?"  __

Draco frowned. "I...I don't know. It's blurry...We were at the cabin." He looked at his mother, who nodded in confirmation. "And...I found...something...A girl." Narcissa nodded again. "Her name...I think it was Rain? Renne?"

"Raidne?" the Healer supplied. Narcissa and Lucius looked at him, and he shrugged. "Your son talks a lot in his sleep."

Draco nodded. "I think that's right...And..." his face flushed a light pink as he fell silent. Narcissa sighed, looking at him. 

"And what?"

Draco's blush darkened. "And...she kissed me..." he looked down. "I don't remember anything after that." Narcissa nodded, hugging him gently. "Mother, what happened to me?" When Narcissa was silent, Draco began to panic. "Mother?"

Finally, Lucius spoke up. "You were bitten," he said in a hoarse voice, before clearing his throat. "You were bitten by a Siren. Raidne..." he sighed. "She bewitched you." 

Draco's eyes widened. "I-wha- _Bitten?_ But...That-that means..." He looked at his mother. "I'm...?"

"For the time being, you're still human," the Healer said. "And we're going to work to keep you that way. There are potions you can take, and operations"

 _"Operations!?_ As in,  _cutting my body open with knives_ kind of operations!?" Draco looked at the Healer, staring at him. " _Are you crazy!?"_

The Healer  Draco read his name tag, which read, 'Hippocrates Smethwyck  Healer-In-Charge"  sighed. "Draco, the alternative is no less appealing, I'm sure. I'll put it in perspective," he said. "Would you rather undergo a few harmless procedures  Which you'll be unconscious throughout  Or live the rest of your life eating slugs off the bottom of the ocean and dying at the age of 30?"

Draco bit his lip, weighing his options. He didn't much like the thought of eating slugs, but the thought of being cut open with knives, unconscious or not, wasn't exactly appealing either. Finally he made his decision. 

"I'll go through with treatment," he said.  _I'm enough of a disgrace already without being a half-breed..._

 "Very well," Healer Smethwyck said. "We'll start as soon as possible. We have an opening in the morning, if that's alright."

Draco looked at his mother, who nodded. "We'd like to have it done as soon as possible." 

Smethwyck nodded. "I'll inform Pye. In the meantime, get some rest."

Draco nodded, laying down. His mother sighed, rubbing his back. Draco finally fell asleep, holding her hand.

* * *

The next morning, Draco was awoken by  he mother shaking him awake. He groaned, pulling the covers over his head, but Narcissa pulled them back down. 

"Wake up, you've got an appointment," she said. "Or would you rather have a tail next time you wake up?"

Draco groaned. He really didn't want that. He sat up, blinking in the bright light. "Where exactly is that appointment?" he asked, not really liking the idea of being carried to some room halfway across the hospital. 

"Healer Smethwyck said they'd be able to do it in here, as it's not a very bloody procedure," Narcissa answered, and Draco relaxed a little. 

"Good," he said under his breath. 

"Unfortunately, I won't be allowed in during the operation, but I'll come see you afterwards," his mother continued, laying her hand on his cheek. She sighed. "Healer Smethwyck will be here soon." She stood, kissing his head. "It'll be okay," she said, noticing the scared look on his face. "They're wizards, remember? If they make a mistake, they'll use magic to fix it." Draco hesitated before giving her a quick, tight hug. 

"Thanks," he whispered. "I'll try and keep that in mind while I'm having my legs sawed apart," he  laughed quietly, trying to mask his fear. Narcissa sighed, kissing his head again. 

"I'll see you later," she said, walking out. A moment later, Healer Smethwyck walked in, carrying a case with an insignia on the front; A crossed wand and bone. 

"Well, Draco," Healer Smethwyck said, setting the case on the table. "Are you ready?" Draco nodded reluctantly, and Smethwyck smiled. "Alright. Let's get started, then."


	6. Song

The last thing Draco remembered was a rather large needle being stabbed into his arm, then absolute darkness. When he came to, the first thing he registered was a burning pain, as if someone had run a lit candle up the inside of his leg. He opened his eyes slowly, afraid of what he'd find. He looked around.  _Still in the same room, which means I wasn't ushered to the Critical Emergency Center._

Draco sat up, realizing he was able to move his legs independently of each other. He hesitated a moment before moving the covers aside, scared of what might be underneath. To his relief, all he found were his legs, both intact and attached to his body in the right place, and even more relieving, separate from one another. Draco frowned, running a finger along the dark red, irritated line that ran from his ankle all the way up his leg, disappearing beneath the covers.

"Oh, Draco, you're awake!" Draco's mother said as she walked into the room, carrying a small box. She set it at the foot of the bed, pulling Draco into a tight hug, which he reciprocated, no matter how badly it hurt. "I'm so glad the operation went well, I'd hate to have to pull you out of school..." 

Draco nodded slightly, pulling away. "When am I gonna be able to leave?" he asked, slurring a little bit, as the anesthetic hadn't totally worn off. 

"Not too long. For now..." Narcissa opened the box. "I brought you some clothes; I figured you may want to take a shower," she said, eyeing the messy, greasy disaster that was his hair, "so I also brought this." She handed him a bottle of dragon's blood shampoo. He took it, looking at her.

"Thanks..." he stood, putting on the robe laying on his bedside table, and hugged Narcissa before picking up the box and heading to the bathroom. He got in the shower stall, turning on the water and standing under it. He felt a slight stinging in his legs, and stumbled back slightly, lowering the temperature. He stepped back under the water, feeling the pain of his aching muscles and stinging skin slowly fade away, replaced by a soothing tingling sensation. He sighed, grabbing the bottle of shampoo and lathering his hair. He scrubbed his scalp for around ten minutes, getting out all the grease and blood that had accumulated over the past few days.

As he stood there, the cool water running down his back, Draco felt an eerie sense of calm; Somewhere in his mind, a haunting song echoed, and though there were no words, Draco soon heard himself humming along. He closed his eyes, running his hands through his hair as he rinsed the conditioner from his now-silky locks. He vaguely wondered how long it had been since he got his hair cut, but was startled out of his thoughts by a knock on the door. "Draco?" his mother said. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine!" he replied. "My hair just took longer than I expected." He finished scrubbing the blood off his chest and shut the water off, stepping out of the shower. He dried off, wincing, and pulled  on the shirt and pajama shorts his Mother had brought him. He combed his hair quickly before walking out and going back to his bed. He grimaced at the bloodstains on the bed, but as he didn't have his wand he couldn't do much. He sighed, laying down to sleep off the buzzed feeling he had, and wondered if it was the anesthesia that was making him feel that way. 

 _Or it could be the water combined with the fact that you're literally becoming a Siren,_ a small, logical part of his brain said. He told that part of his brain to shut up, closing his eyes and soon falling asleep.

* * *

Miles away,  deep in a secret laboratory in the Department of Mysteries, leaning on the  wall at the bottom of a deep pool full of crystal-clear water, Raidne was deep in thought. 

 _The fool he was. He'll turn soon anyway, I'm sure of it._ She smiled to herself, replaying the day's events through Draco's eyes.  _Don't those idiots know that you can't take a Siren's tail? And that, however underdeveloped, was a tail._ Raidne turned restlessly, huffing, and a stream of bubbles floated up toward the surface from her mouth. She smirked slightly, thinking again of the panic she'd felt through Draco when he had first awoken. 

 _So young and innocent,_ she thought, fingering the string of river rocks around her waist.  _He doesn't know **true** pain. Yet. _

Raidne was suddenly startled out of her thoughts as her handler knocked on the glass top of the pool, signaling feeding time. Raidne swam up to  the top of the pool, her long  hair flowing around her as she cut through the water, stopping once her head broke the surface. She  swam to the food slot, waiting patiently, until her handler released Raidne's breakfast — today, a whole school of large minnows. Raidne gleefully chased the small fish, catching and eating them one by one. As she chewed and swallowed the last one, she heard a soft sound, like running water. She realized she was hearing it through Draco, and smirked. 

_Perfect._

Raidne started humming softly, sitting on a shelf in the wall of the pool. She ran her hands through her hair, braiding it into a long plait as she sang.     

()

She closed her eyes, willing Draco to hear her song, and she soon heard the boy humming along quietly. Raidne smiled, reaching out, forgetting for a moment that he wasn't there. She opened her eyes, sighing sadly when she only saw the clear water, artificial light streaming down from the room above. She pushed off the platform, sinking down to the bottom of the pool and lying on the sand and rocks that had been placed there.  She stared up through the water, squinting in the bright light; Her third eyelids protected against the salty water and sand, but did little to protect against the bright light streaming down from above. 

 _Why must humans use artificial light? The Sun is free, and doesn't ruin the environment..._ Raidne turned over, closing her eyes and clutching Draco's shirt close to her; It afforded her no warmth, and his scent had long ago faded, but the fabric felt soft and smooth on her skin, unlike anything she'd felt before. ' _Silk,'_ he'd called it. Raidne sighed, running her hands along the smooth, wet fabric. She swam up to her small, dry cave cut into the side of the pool, and laid down on her bed. 

 _There's one thing humans can do right,_ she thought.  _Beds._ She pulled the covers up over her chest, leaving her tail exposed, glistening in the dim light of the magical orb that hung above the bed. She reached up, touching the orb delicately, and the light flickered out. In the back of her mind, Raidne felt Draco fall asleep, and soon felt herself slowly slipping away.  _Goodnight, Draco,_ she whispered in her mind, though she knew he didn't hear.  _I'll see you again. Soon._


	7. Return

On September first, contrary to previous years, Draco had to drag himself out of bed to hastily pack his trunk, which had sat half-full all summer, as he hadn't been sure whether he'd be returning to school at all. Finally his parents had convinced him, insisting that they _'didn't need the  unnecessary publicity that would no doubt be birthed from  your absence at school,'_ and that ' _a few scales on your arms can be covered easily,'_ and ' _really, Draco, you don't_ have  _to eat fish if it makes you nauseous.'_

So now Draco was back on the train to the place he'd likely be considering a prison. He inked a quill, getting his journal, and started writing, glancing at his hand occasionally to make sure he hadn't worn off the makeup he'd used to cover the annoyingly glimmering skin on the backs of his hands. 

_September 1, 1995_

_I'm headed back to school, against my wishes. I've got makeup all over my hands, and even more on my lips, covering up the scars from the bites._

_Speaking of covering up, that's the whole reason I'm going back; Father doesn't want the press getting suspicious of my absence. There have already been articles on my brief visit to St. Mungo's — Thankfully the hospital records were sealed — and Mother and Father didn't want to arouse any more suspicion._

_Pansy and I had  to patrol the train earlier. She seemed puzzled when I retired to the compartment early, after only a brief  chat with Potter. One good thing about being a Prefect is that I can give him detentions. The stuck-up git deserves it._

_Weasley and the Mudblood — Granger, that is, not just any Mudblood — were picked for Gryffindor Prefects. Granger I can understand, but Weasel? Why him? I'd expect Potter._

_In fact, it's quite a surprise it wasn't Potter. Normally he's always the center of attention — Youngest Quidditch player in 100 years, Parseltongue, "Heir of Slytherin" — I wonder whether old Dumbledore's finally come to his senses?_

Draco paused to allow himself a laugh — Dumbledore had no senses to come to. 

_Really, I wish I'd been allowed to stay home. Father has been involved in some serious planning with the Dark Lord, and  there's been talk of prophecies and other such things. I've never really believed in Divination and all that, but Father believes it, and Mother, so it must be at least partially true. Doesn't mean I'm taking the class._

_We're supposed to have a new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Father knows her, though I don't think he likes her all that much. Then again, I don't think anybody does. Father's good at acting, though. I just hope she's not as bad as the last one._

_These stupid scales keep itching, and I clipped my nails just last night, so I can't really do anything about it. Mother sent along some potion for it, but I can't very well put it on now, Pansy will be back any moment._

_Oh, there she is now. Great. I'll write some more later._

Draco closed his journal, looking up at Pansy, who stomped into the compartment, sitting down across from Draco. Not long after, Crabbe and Goyle lumbered in, sitting on either side of her. Draco raised a brow at the angry look on Pansy's puglike face. Draco had never liked pugs, but he had a bit of a soft spot for Pansy — Though it was greatly diminished when she was angry at him. 

"What'd I do this time?" he asked, tucking his journal into the deep pocket of his robe. 

 "You  _said_ you'd come visit with Daphne and I," Pansy whined in her high-pitched, nasally voice. "Instead, I waited for ten minutes, and now I find you here, writing in a  _diary."_ Her mocking tone and disgusted sneer made Draco recoil. 

 "I'm sorry, Pansy. I forgot. And it's not a diary, it's a..." He thought for a moment. "Chronicle of events in my everyday life." 

 Pansy's face twisted into a scowl. "Well, your chronicle of events are getting in the way of your social obligations."

Draco let out a harsh, humorless laugh, laying down across the seat. "What obligations? I've been in the hospital, could've been dying, and you're  worried about me taking a few extra minutes to come visit you."

Pansy huffed. "Fine, be that way." She turned to face the window, but was blocked by a large someone sitting in the way. That someone was Crabbe, who was currently absorbed in a comic. She huffed again and stood, stomping out of the compartment, tripping over Goyle's foot as she reached the door. Draco chuckled, hearing her mutter angrily to herself all the  way down the train corridor. He laid down, relaxing and closing his eyes. He had soon drifted off, the low chugging of the train lulling him to sleep. 

* * *

After the start of term feast, Draco helped Pansy and the other Prefects escort the younger students to the common room. He waited impatiently for Pansy's speech about where the dormitories were to end, and as soon as the first-years had all gone to their dormitories he ran to his own, digging some pajamas and a robe out of his trunk. He shoved them into a bag and walked out, heading to the Prefects' bathroom on the fifth floor. Once there, he undressed, climbing into the large stone tub, which was really more like a pool. Around the edge of the tub were around a hundred golden taps, each with a different color of jewel set into it. Draco turned on a few of them, not really in the mood to experiment, and before long the tub was filled with lime-green, lilac-scented bubbles. He relaxed, leaning against the wall of the tub, and closed his eyes.

"Ooh, what have we here?"

Draco's eyes opened again, and he looked around, grabbing his wand, which he'd set beside the tub. 

 "Oh, someone's a bit jumpy?" the voice said, and Draco spun around, coming face-to-face with the transparent, pearly grey form of a young girl, maybe thirteen or fourteen, with glasses and long, dark hair. Draco backed into the edge of the tub, his eyes widening. 

 "Wha-ho—how —? Who are you!?" he asked in a panic, and aimed his wand at the ghost, forgetting for a moment that it wouldn't have any affect on her. 

 "Myrtle. Myrtle Warren." 

Draco cursed quietly. He'd heard of Moaning Myrtle, the ghost who haunted the girls' bathroom on the first floor. He'd hoped he'd never have to meet her. "What are you doing here?" He asked, moving to a place in the tub where the bubbles were a bit denser. "This is the Prefects' bathroom, not any-student-who-decides-to-visit's bathroom."

Myrtle huffed. "Nobody ever visits me, and — well, a girl's got to find company somehow. Of course, I don't usually come out — Most of the Prefects already have well-established dislike toward me, but...well," she said, a small smile forming on her lips. "I couldn't just ignore a new face."

Draco nodded slightly, moving some more bubbles in front of him. "Um...yeah...listen, that's nice and all, but could you leave? I'd like a bit of privacy if you don't mind..." He ducked lower in the water, even though it was already up to his shoulders, not wanting to risk her seeing the light silver scales on his upper arms. "Please?" he added as an afterthought.

Myrtle sighed. "Alright, I suppose so..." She smiled a little. "Thank you for asking politely, nobody ever does..."

 _Maybe if you didn't spy on them while they were bathing,_ Draco thought, but bit his tongue, nodding. "Yeah, um...whatever." He made a 'shoo' motion with his hand and she waved before disappearing into one of the taps. Draco breathed a sigh of relief, leaning back against the edge of the tub and staring at the ceiling. After a while he felt himself start to doze off, and sighed, hoisting himself up over the edge of the tub and pulling on his pajamas. He then gathered his clothes in his bag and made his way back to the Slytherin common room. 

As he walked towards the dungeon, Draco heard a quiet sound  ~~\--~~  Almost like...crying. He glanced around the dungeon as he walked in, and after a moment spotted the figure of a girl sitting on a desk, her knees hugged to her chest and one hand over her face. Normally he would have hurried on and left her alone, but he recognized the girl  ~~\--~~ Astoria Greengrass, Pansy's friend Daphne's younger sister. After a moment of hesitation, Draco walked over to the girl.

"Astoria?" he said quietly, not wanting to startle her. She looked up at him, her hand still covering the lower half of her face, muffling her sobs, and Draco wasn't at all surprised to see tears glistening down her face in the  dim light of the torches. He sighed, sitting beside her. "What happened?" he asked, and he immediately regretted it when her sobs intensified. He waited for her to calm down before she finally stuttered a response.

"Theo-Th-Theodore...B-Broke up with me," Astoria said, hiccuping slightly. "Over...Over the stupidest thing..." 

Draco nodded, waiting for her to continue. After a moment he realized she was waiting for him to say something, so he settled for a response that had been tested, tried, and true for his whole life to make it seem like he was interested: "Yeah?" 

Astoria shot him a glare  ~~\--~~  One Draco was quite familiar with, having made the same face at Crabbe and Goyle many times when they were too slow on the uptake, though it wasn't as satisfying being on the receiving end of it  ~~\--~~  and said, "I told him how I disagreed with some of the laws Umbridge has put in place, and how I don't think she's fit to be a teacher."

Draco frowned, about to say something, but Astoria cut him off. "I know what you're going to say," she croaked. "I'm an idiot. I deserved it. Should've just kept my mouth shut. I heard it all from Daphne and Pansy, you don't have to rub it in." 

Draco sighed. "Actually, I was going to ask which laws you disagreed with." At that, Astoria looked at him in surprise; Draco felt a pang of regret at that. He knew she was used to just being pushed aside as the little sister, often by Draco himself.  _I know how that feels now,_ he said to himself, thinking of the times he'd sat outside the drawing room at night after his return from the hospital, listening as his father conversed with his cohorts about Harry Potter  ~~\--~~  Speaking about him, a boy younger than Draco, albeit by only a few months, as a serious adversary, a powerful enemy  ~~\--~~  while Draco was sent to his room, cast aside, to work on his History of Magic essay, or walk with Mother in the garden, anything but be included in the incredibly _serious,_ entirely  _grown-up_ businessthat was being discussed. 

Astoria sighed. "I simply said I didn't like how she treated half-humans. I believe merpeople and centaurs should have rights to their own land, and not be hunted for sport or killed simply for existing  ~~\--~~  we set aside land for dragons, which kill and steal from us, and make laws protecting their species, so why not for the creatures that are peaceful unless provoked, especially since it will prevent them killing and stealing from us?"

Astoria paused, and Draco was about to speak, but she cut him off before he could start. "And the trafficking! Dragons are illegal to transport without a permit, and can only be released on specifically created reserves, but then you have things like Sirens and Mermaids taken prisoner for circuses and, when they refuse to perform any more  ~~\--~~  likely because they've become immune to  _Imperio_ and  _Crucio_   ~~\--~~  they're dumped in a river or pond, and since they can't find any of the food they're used to, they lure in humans." 

Draco didn't reply, not having anything to say that wouldn't just make her angry  ~~\--~~  He'd seen Astoria angry, and at the moment he decided he'd like to keep his teeth inside his mouth, as Madam Pomfrey probably wouldn't like a visit so late at night. 

 _She is half-right, after all,_ he thought.  _They really should have their own land ~~\--~~  so they'll stay away from us, of course. Though, really, they'd be better off killing the Sirens than releasing them anywhere. _

"Though, I do agree that werewolves shouldn't be allowed to work in schools, where they could injure or possibly kill children if they forget their potion." Astoria sighed. "Anyway," she said, running her sleeve over her cheeks to wipe away the tears. "I should go to  my dormitory, I've got a potions essay to work on... " She stood up shakily, leaning on the wall. "I'll...I'll see you around or whatever..." She walked off, heading in the opposite direction of the common room.

"That's the wrong way," Draco said. Astoria turned to go the other way, and Draco sighed, standing. "How about I help you?" he suggested. 

"Why?" Astoria asked. 

 "Because that's also the wrong way, and we don't want you getting lost." Draco put his hands gently on her shoulders, turning her so she was facing the right door. "That way," he said, giving her a light push. She stumbled forward, mumbling a "thank you." Draco nodded, and he stayed behind her, guiding the way to the  common room. As they walked into the darkened room, Draco felt Astoria's hand brush against his own, and a moment later she took his hand in hers, squeezing it briefly. 

"Thanks for listening," she said quietly, before walking up the stairs to the girl's dormitory, leaving Draco alone in the common room. He stared for a moment at his hand, which was slightly sticky from Astoria's tears, and was starting to tingle slightly. Draco frowned, wiping the tears off on his robes and walking up to his own dormitory. He laid down in his bed, falling asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. 

* * *

Raidne scowled, watching through Draco's eyes as he spoke to the young girl —  _She can't be more than thirteen, s_ he thought.  _Far too young. Naive._ Raidne smirked, swimming back to her cave and pulling a bag out from under the bed. 

_I'll make her pay._


	8. Revenge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tw. Attempted (possibly successful) murder, implied cannibalism, and some other things. I'll put a line of these: ~ before it starts and when it ends.

Raidne had been working diligently for three whole weeks, scraping away at the concrete around the large grate at the bottom of the pool, using her eating utensils, her rock-hard nails, and whatever else she could, and had finally worn it down enough that the grate was loosened. Now all she had to do was wait. She'd been watching through Draco's eyes, and knew that there was a Hogsmeade weekend coming up, so that would be an ideal time. She just needed a plan.

* * *

One bright but windy morning at the end of September, Draco set out for Hogsmeade, the Wizarding village near Hogwarts, accompanied by Pansy, Crabbe, Goyle and Daphne Greengrass as usual, but with the surprising addition — To Daphne, anyway — of her younger sister Astoria, whom Draco had invited along. The two had grown to be rather close over the past month — Not as close as Draco and Pansy, of course, but then again, was anyone as close to him as Pansy? 

After  they spent a while shopping, Pansy pulled Daphne into the nearby robe shop, leaving Draco and Astoria alone with Crabbe and Goyle. Astoria looked around,  staying close to Draco, and pulled up the hood of her cloak to keep the wind out of her eyes. She gazed longingly over at Honeyduke's sweet shop, and Draco smiled, raising a brow. "Want to go in?" he asked, and she nodded. 

"I've never been there," she said, sighing. "But Daphne told me the Peppermint Toads are to die for." 

Draco nodded. "Let's go, then," he said, gently taking hold of her arm and leading her toward the shop. He tried not to wince as his fingers brushed together; He'd developed webs between his fingers soon after the first day, and, not wanting to visit Madam Pomfrey and be asked a lot of awkward questions, had performed an amateur operation using the knife he used for Potions. However, he hadn't accounted for the fact that he wouldn't be able to hold the knife properly, nor the fact that the knife was covered in the juices of various herbs and fruits, many of them poisonous, and was left with several swollen, stinging cuts which had soon turned his whole hand purple, and he ended up visiting Madam Pomfrey anyway. He'd worn gloves since then to hide the cuts and bits of skin still hanging off. 

He led Astoria into the warm shop, with its happy atmosphere and all its rich, chocolaty smells, and as soon as the younger girl stepped in the door, she threw her cloak into Draco's arms and hurried over to the display of Peppermint Toads, grinning like  ~~\--~~   _Well,_  Draco thought.  _like a kid in a candy store, I suppose._  He walked over and joined her, smiling.

When they left the shop, Astoria's bag full of chocolate and Draco's head feeling rather light from being in the hot, heavily scented shop for so long. As he and Astoria headed off down the street again, leaving Crabbe and Goyle behind, there was a piercing scream. They both instinctively drew their wands, and Astoria ran off in the direction of the scream.

"Astoria!" Draco called, running after her. There was another scream from nearer by, and Astoria ran off the path, cutting through the woods at the side of the road. Draco hesitated before following her, dodging trees and ducking branches, calling, "Astoria! Get back here!" Astoria didn't listen, running further into the woods until they came to a clearing, where a small, frozen stream ran. Draco's eyes widened when he saw a  hole in the ice, a hand clinging to the edge of the ice. Astoria ran forward, kneeling at the edge of the stream and reaching out, planting one foot on the ice and taking hold of the pale, bleeding hand. She tried to pull back a second later,  but the hand had grabbed her arm, long, sharp fingernails digging into her delicate skin. Draco ran forward, pulling Astoria back. The thing dragged its fingernails down her arm, leaving long, deep scratches. Astoria stumbled back, and Draco stood in front of her as an arm reached out of the water, nails digging into the ice with a  _crack,_ webbed fingers groping for a handhold. 

 _Oh my god,_ Draco thought, eyes widening. "Astoria, get to safety. It can't get you on land." Astoria nodded, backing away from the stream just as the creature hauled itself up onto the ice. 

Even  in the freezing cold state she was in, Raidne was still beautiful; Her pale skin glittered in shades of pastel blue and pink, and her dark hair hung around her face like a parted curtain. Her eyes, dark as the earth under Draco's feet, shined with an unearthly light. Draco almost felt pity for her when he saw the cuts and scratches over her arms and face, but any such feelings quickly vanished, replaced by fear. 

 _Stay on land. She can't get you on land. Just get away from the water,_ Draco thought as he backed into a tree, reaching for Astoria's hand. "Run," he whispered, but she shook her head, staring in horror at the Siren. Draco followed her gaze, his eyes widening, and a shock of horror ran through him as he realized that Raidne was no longer lying on the ground; Instead, she was slowly stumbling forward on two shaky, scale-covered legs. 

"Surprised?" she asked, smirking slightly at Draco's fearful look. "You see, we Sirens have our own sort of magic. We can turn human if we choose. Of course, most of us don't -- It's a bit strenuous, requires a lot of energy, and involves some rather..." she seemed to think for a moment. "Unpleasant things." She smiled, showing her pointed teeth, which were dripping with a liquid that Draco doubted was pomegranate juice. "If anyone asks about a missing witch, I've been at the Ministry this whole time." Draco felt his stomach turn with revulsion at her implication. 

"You're sick." Draco's voice cracked as he spoke, and Raidne scowled.

."Is it sick that I want to be with you? That I'm in love with you? It's not like you can be with a  _human_  anyway!" she sneered, spitting the word  _human_ like a swear. She stepped toward Astoria, who had tears in her eyes. "Aww, did you really think you had a chance with him?" 

 "Leave her alone," Draco said, but Raidne ignored him, stepping forward and caressing Astoria's cheek. 

 "So young...naive... _stupid."_

_**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~** _

She lowered her hand, and Astoria let out a breath she'd been holding; A moment later it caught in her throat. Draco looked down, eyes widening at what he saw: Raidne's knife-sharp fingernails, plunged deep into Astoria's stomach, twisting and jabbing, causing Astoria to writhe in agony. 

"Stop!" Draco said desperately, but Raidne paid him no heed, stabbing her fingers deeper into Astoria's stomach, a sadistic smirk on her face. Draco stared in horror as she pulled her bloody hand away, licking her fingers. Astoria fell back against the tree, and Draco caught her before she hit the ground. 

_**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~** _

 "D-Draco...Draco, I...I'm..." Astoria choked, tears running down her face. Draco held her close. 

 "I know, it's going to be okay," he whispered, his voice breaking a little. He looked up at Raidne. "Heal her," he said, thinking of the time she'd healed a scratch on his face with a touch of her hand, the time she had simply dripped some water over the broken, bleeding neck of a rabbit that had been caught in a snare, healing it instantly. "Please, you can have me, just — just heal her."

"And why should I? She's just another human. Not like you and me." 

 "You can take me! Just heal her!" Draco begged, holding Astoria close to him. 

"You can't come with me yet." Raidne's voice was sorrowful, but her eyes gleamed as she stared at the blood dripping from Astoria's hands as she pressed them over the wound, her breathing becoming shallower by the second. Raidne rested her hand on Draco's cheek for a moment before lowering it. "I'll see you again, my love." She walked slowly to the edge of the stream and gracefully dived into the water, disappearing beneath the surface, though Draco could still see a dark shape moving under the ice. He swallowed hard, clutching Astoria to his chest, and ran back to the village. 

"Help — Someone help! She — Someone — She's hurt!" Draco called. A small crowd gathered around, and a few wizards had their wands out, trying to heal the deep, jagged cuts. Draco carefully lowered her to the ground, cradling her head in his lap. "It'll be okay," he said, more to himself than anyone. "Just–just breathe. Deep breaths. You'll be okay."

Astoria looked up at him, her eyes red and puffy from crying, and held his hand. "I'm so sorry..." she choked out between pained sobs. "I was stupid,  I should've never gone in there..." 

 "No, no, Astoria, don't blame yourself...I...I did this, this is my fault, I'm the one who st—"

"Out of the way! Let me through!" a girl shrieked, and a few moments later Daphne Greengrass had pushed through the crowd. "Astoria —!" She froze, staring wide-eyed with horror at her sister. "What — Wha— What happened!?" she screamed. "This is all my fault, I never should have left you alone..." She fell to her knees, barely containing her sobs. 

"It's not your fault," Astoria croaked, resting a blood-soaked hand on Daphne's arm. "I was being stupid. I'm good at that, aren't I?" She managed to force a chuckle, but her feeble attempt at humor fell flat. Her breathing became more labored by the second, and her eyes were barely open as she took hold of Daphne's hand, squeezing it weakly. "Don't — don't cry, sis...don't cry...I'm so..." Her words faded away as her eyes closed, her head dropping onto Draco's lap.

Draco's vision blurred, and he ran his hand over his face to wipe away tears he didn't know were there. The crowd around him were speaking now. He vaguely heard a few words; "Send...her parents?" "...owl immediately," and "...dying." Draco felt more tears forming in his eyes, but couldn't make himself care enough to wipe them away.  _Let them see,_  he thought.  _Let them shame me. I deserve it._ Then there was a voice, loud and clear above the chatter. 

 "Out of the way!" a man's voice shouted, and Draco looked up to see the crowd parting, his father walking through the path they made. Lucius stopped short, staring at the scene, his expression nearly unreadable; Only Draco could see the thinly veiled horror in his eyes, and the slight downturn of his lips in disgust. 

 "F-father," Draco said, half relieved, half terrified. "Father, you're — you're here...Raidne, she was in the stream, and Astoria got stabbed —" He rambled on deliriously, he himself not knowing half of what he was saying, simply trying to fill the silence. Lucius ignored him, bending over and picking Astoria up. He said something to Draco that he didn't understand, before walking off down the street. Draco stood, stumbling after him. He didn't want to be left alone. He felt like his head was spinning; He'd had trouble breathing properly for the past few weeks, but not nearly this badly. And the pain — The stinging feeling, like knives being dragged across the sides of his neck, was nearly unbearable. 

Lucius walked into an alley, and Draco followed, blinking bright spots out of his vision. His father grabbed his arm, saying something Draco couldn't make out, and a moment later Draco felt the uncomfortable sensation like he was being squeezed through a small tube; Vaguely, he recognized it as Apparition. 

As soon as his feet hit the ground, Draco felt like he was going to pass out. He'd always felt dizzy after side-along Apparition, but nothing he'd ever felt could compare to this nausea and lightheadedness. A moment later his legs gave out, and he barely had time to register where he was before his vision went black. 

 _Are we at St. Mungo's?_ he wondered dimly, right before he passed out.


	9. Suffering

Draco's days went by in a blur. He'd get up when his alarm clock rang, eat, go through classes, and visit Astoria in the evenings. Her condition was always the same; Unconscious, her heartbeat barely showing up on the magical, anatomically correct heart-shaped monitor. Weekends were almost entirely spent at her side, and sleep became one of the last things on Draco's list of priorities as he tried to keep up with his schoolwork, as well as hide his ever-growing list of symptoms. He'd already removed webs from between his fingers twice, and had the slits that appeared on his neck stitched closed. Scales were painfully pulled out of his skin, iridescent pink and blue skin was dyed to a pale, sand color, and fangs were filed down to less dangerous, innocuous points.  His nails, once delicate and smooth, were now sharp and too strong to cut on his own, but he still refused to risk his dignity with a visit to Madam Pomfrey. 

One day, when he was sitting in History of Magic, something snapped. Maybe Pansy had gotten too close, maybe it was that he hadn't gotten enough sleep, maybe it was Potter and Weasley's incessant chattering, or Granger being more of a know-it-all than usual, or perhaps it was all the cumulative noise from his classmates, but something triggered a reaction in him, and before even he knew what he was doing, he'd stood up and stormed out of the classroom, wet, salty tears running down  his cheeks. He ran into the nearest bathroom, ignoring the out-of-order sign on the door and slamming it shut as he dove into the cubicle nearest to the door, retching and gagging. When the pain in his stomach had finally subsided and he felt he could breathe again, he pulled back, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand and taking a few deep breaths in order to calm himself.

"Oh, so we meet again." Draco turned quickly to find Moaning Myrtle floating a few feet off the floor not far behind him. "I didn't expect to find you in my bathroom."

"M-Myrtle," he croaked, wiping his eyes with his sleeve. "This is your..." he glanced around. "This is your bathroom?" Myrtle nodded, and Draco felt his face grow warm at the thought of what would happen if he got caught in the girls' bathroom.  _Idiot,_ he thought.  _Read the sign on the door next time._ He took another great gulp of air, standing on shaking legs and leaning against the frame of the cubicle, which creaked under his weight. He blinked the spots out of his vision, then staggered over to the sink to rinse the acidic taste out of his mouth. After doing so, he sighed heavily, leaning back against the wall and sliding down to the floor with his hands over his face, more tears threatening to come up in his eyes. 

"Are you alright?" Though Draco couldn't see Myrtle's face, her voice sounded concerned, and he felt a sensation like someone had pressed an ice cube to his skin as she rested her hand on his shoulder. "Do you need to talk about it?"

A small part inside Draco was screaming  _yes,_ but he shook his head, choking back a sob as he rubbed his eyes, willing himself to stop crying. 

 "Draco? Draco, are you in here?" Pansy's voice echoed through the bathroom, and there was a loud  _slosh_ as she walked through one of the many puddles of water on the floor. "Draco, don't make me stay in here any longer than I have to, Professor Binns has already taken ten points for you running out!" 

Draco bit his lip, glancing at Myrtle. "Get rid of her," he whispered, looking away quickly. Myrtle floated away, and a moment later he heard her sobbing and wailing loudly, evidently in an attempt to deter Pansy, but his hopes were dashed by the sound of Pansy's voice again, now sounding highly annoyed.

 "Malfoy, I know you're in here," she said, and Draco heard her footsteps coming closer to the corner where he was hidden. "I can see your stupid hair sticking up." Not for the first time, Draco found himself cursing his whitish hair, which had lost him many a game of hide-and-seek in his childhood — Before his parents forbid his friends to play because he cried every time he lost. "Draco, just come out here and get back to class, you're being dramat—" 

Pansy stopped talking. Draco looked up and found himself staring at the hem of Pansy's skirt. He raised his gaze to her face, and her eyes widened. 

 "Draco, what happened? Is this an allergic reaction, did someone beat you in Quidditch, what happened?" She knelt down in front of him, putting her hands on his cheeks and looking into his eyes. "Draco, look at me and tell me what's wrong."

Draco shook his head, avoiding her gaze, and pushed her away, standing shakily. "No...I can't tell...can't tell you," he muttered, trying to reach the door, but sitting down for so long had caused his legs to fall asleep, so he stumbled as he walked, and Pansy just managed to stand up and catch him before he fell. 

"Alright, you're going to the Hospital Wing, Malfoy," she said, putting her arm around his waist.

"I'm fine, Pansy," he said, pushing her away. "Just leave me alone."

"Draco, you're bleeding!" Pansy exclaimed. Draco  looked in the mirror and noticed the trickle of blood running down his face from his eye, and the stinging, tingling feeling he had in his eyelids. He wiped away the blood, blinking.

"I'm fine," he insisted, and tried to walk out, but Pansy grabbed his arm. 

 "You're hurt, and I'm taking you to the hospital wing. You've been looking dreadful for days..." She dragged him out of the bathroom, ignoring his increasingly desperate protests, and all but shoved him onto a bed once they'd reached the hospital wing.

"Now, I'm going to go back to class." Pansy adjusted the strap of her bag, looking at Draco. "And you stay there," she said, like she was talking to a disobedient dog. "I don't want to see you again until you're rested and you've had a bath." Draco opened his mouth to protest, but she held up a finger. "No. You're staying here. And I'm writing to your mother."

 Draco sighed. "Yes, Pansy," he said, rolling his eyes painfully when her back was turned. As soon as she'd walked out, Madam Pomfrey walked in, closing the door of her office. 

"What's the problem?" she asked with a sigh. Her opinion of Draco had never been very high, and he only hoped he wasn't about to further lessen it.

He took a deep breath before stating simply, "I was bitten by a Siren." 

 Madam Pomfrey frowned. "Mister Malfoy, if this is some kind of joke, it's not amusing in the slightest. There are no Sirens in the Black Lake, nor anywhere else in Britain, so if you're —"

"Madam Pomfrey, this isn't a joke," Draco said, a little annoyed with himself.  _That's that stupid Muggle story, isn't it? Boy Who Cried Wolf, or whatever._  "I was bitten by a Siren over the summer, and I need something done about it."

Madam Pomfrey's attitude immediately changed, and she snapped into action, getting out her wand. "What all symptoms have you had?" she asked as she stuck the tip of her wand into his eyes and ears, and examining his lower lip. "Dizziness, skin growing in places it shouldn't? I'd guess you've had an operation already, since you seem to be walking just fine..."

"Yes, I've had the tail removed, and I've also gotten rid of scales, webs, gills and fangs." Draco refrained from mentioning that his upper arms had ached since he removed the scales, and his fingers were raw and red after he'd removed the webs. His teeth hurt too, after filing away most of the enamel. 

 "It'll be the eyes now, then..." she said, and Draco flinched as she reached toward his eyes. "Oh, don't make a fuss, and hold still." She peeled back his lower eyelid, frowning. "Alright, now blink, slowly." Draco obeyed, and she tutted. "Oh dear." 

 "What? What is it?" Draco asked, clutching the scratchy sheets of the bed in his fists.  _Please don't say I'm going blind, please don't say I'm going blind..._

"Your third eyelid has grown in. I'm afraid I can't remove it. " 

  _"Third eyelid!?"_ Draco jerked away from her,  clambering over the bed and standing up. "No. That's it, I'm done. I am not having this. I am going back to class right now."

"Mister Malfoy, sit down. Overexertion isn't good for you." Madam Pomfrey sighed, grabbing a piece of parchment and a quill, writing something down and handing him the parchment. "Take this to your Head of House. You're excused from classes for the rest of the day."

"What?" Draco said, staring blankly at the parchment. He was still trying to process the fact that he'd grown an extra eyelid. Realizing what she'd said, he looked up. "No! I can't miss class, my grades  ~~\--~~  they're already low, and Professor Umbridge  ~~\--~~ "

"Can live without having you in class for one day. You need to rest. Have Miss Parkinson accompany you, you don't need to be left alone." Draco was about to protest again but, seeing the look on Madam Pomfrey's face, decided against it.

 "Yes, ma'am," he said quietly. He turned and walked out, running into someone as soon as he closed the door. "Daphne!" he exclaimed in surprise. "Why aren't you in class?"

Daphne's eyes gleamed with happiness as she spoke. "Astoria's awake," she said, and Draco felt his heart flutter. "I'm going to see her. Want to come?"

Draco nodded, smiling for the first time in nearly three weeks. "Yes!" he said, almost too enthusiastically. Daphne smiled, grabbing his arm and pulling him along to the large stone gargoyle outside Dumbledore's office. 

"Fig Newts," she said seriously, and the gargoyle moved aside, revealing a stone spiral staircase. Daphne pulled Draco up the stairs, stopping once they reached a door and knocking on it, hard, several times, before it opened and Daphne grabbed Draco's hand once more, pulling him across the office to the desk where the Headmaster himself sat, reading a rather long letter stamped with the Ministry crest on the back.  "Professor?" Daphne said, and Dumbledore looked up. 

"Ah, Miss Greengrass. And Mister Malfoy. I suppose you'll be headed to St. Mungo's again?" he asked, putting down the long scroll of parchment and taking off his glasses to polish them on his robes. Daphne nodded.

"Yes, sir." 

Draco rolled his eyes, impatiently tapping his foot. "Professor, I don't mean to interrupt, but could we hurry a bit? Astoria probably shouldn't be alone, and no offense, Daphne, but your parents aren't exactly the most comforting people to have nearby when you wake from a coma." 

 __Daphne nodded. "Right." She took his hand, walking over to the large, intricately carved fireplace. Draco reached into the flowerpot full of greenish-grey powder, taking a handful and throwing it into the flames before stepping in with her.

 "St. Mungo's!" Daphne said, shutting her eyes tightly, and Draco followed suit, taking a deep breath just before they were sent hurtling through a long, narrow tunnel. A minute or so later they tumbled out of a fireplace onto a pristine white carpet, which was now covered in soot. Draco stood up, brushing his clothes clean. He hurried off down the corridor, and Daphne followed, straightening her skirt and running to keep up with him.

Ten minutes and several wrong turns later, they found the ward Astoria was in, and quietly made their way over to her bed. Astoria looked exhausted, her eyes half-closed as she gazed tiredly at the two. 

"Daphne?" Astoria's weak whisper was barely audible, and her lips barely moved when she spoke. Red, puffy eyes shined in her pale face, and her hand twitched slightly towards Daphne. "Izzat you?" 

Daphne nodded, sitting in the chair beside the bed and taking her sister's hand. "Yeah, it's me. Draco's here too."

Draco bit his lip, looking at Daphne. He took a step back from the bed, sighing. "I'll leave you two alone, you probably want to catch up."  _B_ _esides, you probably don't want me around._

"Nothing to catch up on," Daphne said, shrugging, and Astoria shook her head. 

"Please stay," she said, patting the bed. "Siddown."

Draco hesitated. "Are you sure?"

Astoria sighed. "Duh." Draco sighed and sat down. 

"How are you feeling?" Daphne asked. Draco saw her gaze flicker to the bandages around Astoria's stomach, which had a dark red spot in the middle, and vaguely wondered how many pain potions she must have taken. 

"Eh. Like I've been stabbed..." she muttered 

Draco looked down, feeling a fresh wave of guilt at her words.  _It's my fault she's even in here,_  he thought, clenching his fists so hard he could feel his long nails digging into his palms through the gloves he had on.  _If I had sent her away sooner she'd be alright._

"Daph, could you ask a Healer for some water? I'm thirsty," Astoria said, and Daphne nodded, standing. 

"Touch her and I'll rip you limb from limb, ferret," she hissed in Draco's ear as she passed him, and he flinched, stepping away from her and nearly falling into the chair. He heard Astoria giggle quietly, and he glared at her sharply. 

"Don't be so grumpy," Astoria muttered, her eyelids drooping. "If anyone's gonna be grumpy it's me. I'm the one who's dying."

"Don't say that," Draco snapped. "Please," he added, almost desperately. "You're not dying."

"If I don't stop bleeding like this soon, I will be," Astoria said bluntly, gesturing with her limp hand toward her bandages. "It's a miracle I'm awake right now."

"Astoria, you are not going to die. You're not allowed to die." 

"You're not the boss of me," she muttered, crossing her eyes. "Could you get this hair out of my face? It's been bugging me..." Draco reached over and brushed the offending lock of hair away from her eyes, and Astoria sighed. "That's better, thanks." 

Draco sighed. "You're going to get better. I've survived worse."

Astoria raised an eyebrow at him, and he could've sworn he saw her lips curl in a smirk. "You mean the Hippogriff incident Daphne told me about?" she asked, and Draco felt his face heat up.

"Don't listen to anything Daphne tells you about me," he said. "She's as reliable as a self-spelling wand."

"So I suppose her ferret story's not true either?" Astoria was definitely smirking now. "Colin Creevey showed me pictures. You made a very cute ferret." Astoria paused for a moment, looking thoughtful. "You make a cute human too." Draco felt his face heat up again.  _She didn't mean that, idiot. Pain potions mess with your brain._

 _"_ Oh, um...thanks," he said, a small smile spreading across his face. "Uh...you too." 

Astoria smiled a little, looking tiredly up at him. Upon seeing his face, she frowned. "You've got blood on your face...How'd that happen?" 

Draco sighed. "It's a long story..."

"I'm bored, and I could use a distraction...Does it have something to do with that Siren?" Astoria tilted her head. Draco stared at her, his jaw dropping.

"How  ~~\--~~  How did you know?" he asked, his voice coming out a stunned whisper. 

"I'm not stupid," Astoria said, sounding a little offended. "You've got all the symptoms. And she obviously knew you. Besides, what else could she have meant when she said you couldn't be with a human?" 

Draco bit his lip. "Please don't tell anyone."

"I won't. But you have to tell Madam Pomfrey," Astoria said disapprovingly. "Those scars on your neck are proof you haven't," she added as Draco opened his mouth. 

"What're you talking about?" Daphne asked as she walked toward the bed, casting a warning glare toward Draco, who moved his chair away from the bed. 

"Homework," he said. "Astoria wanted me to bring hers to her next time I come by." Daphne raised a brow skeptically, setting a glass of water on the nightstand.

"Well, Draco, we should probably head back to school. It was nice to see you, Tori."

Astoria nodded, looking a little sad. "You'll come back, right?" she asked, looking at Draco, then longingly at the glass of water. He nodded, helping her sit up and take a drink of water. 

"Of course we'll come back," Daphne said. "By the way, have you been taking the potion?"

Astoria swallowed her water and wiped her mouth on the back of her hand, nodding. Draco gritted his teeth, getting a sinking feeling in his stomach when he saw how thin she was. "Of course I've taken it. I'm not stupid, Daph."

Daphne sighed, and Draco saw her shoulders relax as if she were relieved. "Good," she said. "Any idea when you'll be able to come back?"

"Who knows?" Astoria said, trying to take another drink; Draco waved his wand and conjured a straw for her. She took a long drink, wiping her mouth when she'd finished. "They're working on getting something to help clot the blood, but nothing's worked well so far."

"Well, I hope we'll see you again soon." Daphne kissed Astoria's forehead, ruffling her hair. "See you soon."

Astoria smiled sadly, moving her hand in a way that could be interpreted as a wave. "See you soon. Take care," she said, adding in a lower voice, "And, Draco, take a bath, you've got blood all over you." 

Draco nodded, waving as Daphne dragged him out of the room and back to the fireplace, pushing him in and Flooing back to Dumbledore's office. 

"I'm going back to class. See you later, Draco!" Daphne said in an oddly choked voice as they exited the office, and though she'd said she was going to class, Draco saw her running to the girl's bathroom instead of the stairs. 

 _Well, I suppose I ought to go take that bath,_ he decided, and headed off toward the Prefect's bathroom, feeling better than he had in weeks.


	10. Return

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry 'bout the short update, my life's been kinda hectic and I've got a bad case of writer's block. Yay me. I'll try to get something up soon! Hope you liked this chapter!

__

_October 29th, 1995_

_It's finally, finally happening! Astoria's almost fully recovered, and they're allowing her to return to school for the remainder of her treatment, tomorrow! I'll be glad to see her again. I've missed being able to talk with her whenever I wanted, and not have to worry about her._

_Pa_ _nsy's been hovering over my shoulder constantly, hardly ever leaving me alone. I've just gotten used to it. She keeps asking about the scars on my neck -- the ones from when I stitched those gills shut -- and I've told her over and over it's from a Quidditch accident. I don't think she believes it. I finally caved and had Madam Pomfrey fix them up, just to get Pansy to shut up. I got my nails fixed too, at least for now. They'll grow slower, anyway._

_The good news is, I haven't had any major symptoms so far. I've had a few more scales spring up -- on my legs this time, and it's been a bit awkward changing into my Quidditch gear for practices with all the scars from getting them pulled out, but thankfully there's a curtain in the locker room._

_What I am worried about is Raidne; She hasn't made a move since Hogsmeade. I'm getting anxious. What if she's just waiting, planning something? I already know she can get out of wherever it is they're keeping her, and she knows where I am. I sometimes think I hear her, singing. It's scary, really._

_Mother spoke to Dumbledore about security measures, to prevent another incident like Astoria's. I can only hope he does something about it, but with Umbridge in the way I'm not sure what he can do._

_I should probably stop writing, it's far too late to be awake. Thankfully I don't have classes tomorrow._

Draco put down his quill, yawning. He looked at his watch, his eyes widening when he saw that it was nearly three in the morning, and after glancing around to make sure the other boys occupying the dormitory were asleep, got up and changed into his pajamas. The soft, woolly clothes his mother had sent him the week before had been charmed to be especially soothing on the irritated skin on his arms and legs,  which was still scabbed and rough from the removal of the scales that had grown in. He laid down, closing his eyes, and soon he had slipped into a comfortable, deep sleep.

Not long after he fell asleep, however, he began to hear a strange sound in the back of his mind. A soft, repetitive and yet beautiful song, like the lullabies his mother had used to sing, only ten, twenty times more beautiful.

_Draco looked up, finding himself in a dark, cool cave. Moss grew up the walls, and over the floor, and a small tree grew at the edge of a pool of dark, green water. Draco walked forward, an involuntary shiver running down his spine as he stared into the murky depths, and as the song grew louder, he was seized with the impulse to reach in. No sooner than he did, a cold, bony hand encircled his wrist. He let out a strangled shout, pulling back, but the grip on his arm didn't relinquish. He tried to back away but found himself unable to, as if his feet had fused with the ground. He watched in horror as, slowly, a head, followed by shoulders and a long, slender torso, emerged from the dark water. Brown eyes, dark as mud and shiny as a snake's skin, shone through a curtain of black hair. Draco was hyperventilating now, closing his eyes tightly._

**_It's all a dream, she can't hurt you. It's just a dream. Not real. Nothing's going to happen. She can't hurt you._ **

_"Draco," Raidne crooned, snaking her arms around his waist and pressing her forehead against his. He stiffened, trying to pry her arms off, but her grip tightened. "Shh..." she whispered, pressing a finger to his lips as he cried out in pain, her nails digging into his back. "It's okay. No need to be afraid."_

_**It's not real. She can't really hurt you**. _

_"Draco, It's alright. I forgive you." She ran her fingers through his hair, leaving scratches on his scalp. "I don't blame you for saving the girl; It's human nature, after all."_

_"Leave me alone," he choked out, finally getting her hands off of him. "I don't want your forgiveness, I haven't done anything wrong."_

_"Oh, Draco." She kissed him softly. "You don't understand, do you? You could never be with her. She's not like us."_

_"There is no **'us'** ," he said, his voice now steadier. "Leave me alone," he repeated. _

_"For now," Raidne said, kissing him deeply and rather roughly before pushing him away. Draco staggered backwards, no longer stuck to the floor. "I'll be back for you soon, Draco," Raidne said. "Now go."_

Draco opened his eyes, gasping as he fell backwards from his sitting position — and found himself in ice-cold water, staring up at a starry sky. He panted, running a hand through his hair and looking around.  _How'd I get out here?_ Shivering, he grabbed onto a low-hanging branch on a nearby tree, pulling himself out of the lake. He searched his pockets for his wand, but he soon remembered that he had left it on his bedside table...inside the castle. He sighed heavily, hauling himself up the slope toward the castle, hoping someone left the door open by chance. 

 _Of course they did, you idiot — How d'you think you got down here?_ He sighed, gathering up the soaked robes he'd worn to bed and started the trek up to the castle, speeding up when he heard rustling behind a bush. It was probably just a couple of Prefects who'd snuck off to make out, but he wasn't taking any chances. As soon as he reached the oak doors  ~~-~~  which, thankfully, were open ~~\--~~  he breathed a heavy sigh of relief, leaning against the wall. His relief didn't last long, however, and he soon heard meowing followed by limping footsteps.

 _"Someone's left the ruddy door open,"_  Draco heard the caretaker Argus Filch muttering to his cat, Mrs. Norris,  as he rounded the corner. "Damn kids..."

Draco just had time to duck into the shadows before Filch and Mrs. Norris reached the entrance hall, and he quietly slipped past the duo, hardly daring to breathe until he reached the entrance to the dungeons. He ran as fast as he could to the Slytherin boys' dormitory, hurriedly peeling off his sodden clothes and all but diving into his bed, where he curled up and soon fell back asleep ~~\--~~ after charming the curtains to stay closed. 


	11. Dreams

Astoria returned to school on Halloween. She and Draco spent the duration of the Halloween feast on the Slytherin common room, watching the Giant Squid through the window looking out into the lake and eating Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans until they both felt sick, at which point they laid down on the floor, where they stayed until long after all the other students had fallen asleep, and in the morning they woke up there as well. They were soon meeting in the common room every night, and occasionally falling asleep there. 

 "I think you've fallen in love with her," Pansy teased Draco one day. He'd been late for breakfast because he'd stayed up too late talking to Astoria. At Pansy's accusation he blushed and nudged her, telling her to "shut up and eat."

Days passed. Then weeks and months. Astoria turned fourteen, and she, her sister, and Pansy all went into the forbidden forest to look for unicorns, to no avail. Hogsmeade weekends were spent alone by the lake, or in the common room, alone except for the few older students who had stayed back to study. Then one day Draco kissed Astoria.

It wasn't much. Just a peck on the cheek. At first, anyway. Then Astoria returned the kiss, this time on the lips. Then Astoria pulled him closer, wrapping her arms around his neck. He relaxed slightly, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing back, his eyes slowly closing. 

When they finally pulled apart, red-faced and leaning on each other's shoulders, Astoria whispered, "I've wanted to do that for ages." 

Draco looked at her in surprise. "You have?" She nodded, her gaze dropping to her hands in her lap. 

 "Yeah. I didn't know if you did." She glanced at him for a moment. "I still don't know." 

 "Well, I wouldn't have kissed back if I didn't." He looked over at her. "And...you have permission to do that anytime you want, by the way." 

Astoria chuckled. "Are you sure? It wasn't absolutely awful?" He shook his head. 

 "Compared to Pansy? No." He put his arm around her shoulder. "That was the best kiss I've ever had." 

 Astoria smiled, taking his hand and kissing it. "Me too." She closed her eyes, laying her head on his shoulder. He looked around the empty common room, sighing, before closing his eyes, and they fell asleep, their legs intertwined and their heads on each other's shoulders. 

* * *

Raidne growled, slashing at the wall of her pool, her claws gouging out stripes from the concrete, joining millions of other such marks. 

 "That  _cheater_!" She roared, her voice traveling fast through the water, causing a small wave to erupt through the screen at the top of the tank and startle her handler. "I'm going to make him  _pay_. I'll make both of them pay!" She swam into her cave, pulling Draco's shirt on. Her claws slashed the fabric as she dragged the sleeves over her hands. She grabbed her knife — Fashioned from a chunk of concrete from the floor of the pool, attached to the broken-off handle of  the net the handlers used to clean the tank— and closed her eyes. Her dream-walking were improving more and more, and she was about to use every bit of her strength for this. 

She slowly drifted off to sleep, her knife clenched in her hand. 

* * *

_**It gets darker from here. Not at the worst yet.** _

* * *

_Astoria was lying on a cold_ _floor. Her head ached, and her vision was blurry. She sat up, looking around._

_Upon inspection she found she was in a cave. Bars covered the only opening, and a dull green light illuminated the small chamber. Past that, all she could see was stone floor. She crawled over, peering through the bars, and screamed._

_Raidne._

_The last time Astoria had seen her, she hadn't got a good look at her. Now they were face-to-face, she wished she hadn't looked. The girl was a little older than Astoria. She had black hair, long and tangled. Her skin, silver and shiny, glistened in the green light and gave her the look of a corpse. Her eyes, deep brown and shiny, were sunk deep in her face, and Astoria could've counted her ribs through the thin, soaked silk shirt she wore. When she smiled, her teeth were sharp and bloody._

_"I see you're awake." Her voice came out as a gravelly hiss, and a clawed hand closed around one of the bars. "Good, good. You'll want to see this."_

_Raidne rolled aside, her purple-and-silver tail flashing through the air. At the same time, Astoria gasped._

_Draco was lying unconscious against a wall. A puddle of blood under his head, his eyes closed. His hand was submerged in a pool of water that covered most of the floor. Astoria could see that it got deeper near the far wall, and guessed that was probably the only way out. Raidne half-crawled, half-slithered across the cavern, lying on her stomach at Draco's head, her hand propping up her chin. She ran a hand through his hair, licking away the blood that came off. Astoria's stomach lurched, and she held onto the bars tightly. "Stop this," she choked out. "You're hurting him."_

_"Oh, he'll be fine. He won't have a scratch on him. This is your dream, not his." She looked at Astoria, smirking. "It's yourself you should worry about."_

_Astoria shook her head. "You won't hurt me. You can't. This is my dream." She crawled to the back wall of her chamber. "You can't get me here anyway. Can't reach."_

_Raidne snarled, turning back to Draco. She brushed some hair away from his forehead, revealing a bruised, bleeding knot. Astoria grimaced, and Raidne smiled. "Now, Astoria, you'll see what happens when I don't get my way." She trailed a long, sharp nail over the cut. Draco flinched, and Astoria's hand flew to her stomach. She knew how those nails felt on skin. Raidne chuckled quietly, jabbing experimentally at the bruise. Draco whimpered, his eyes opening slightly._

_Astoria looked around the cave, biting her lip, and her eyes widened when she saw a crudely made knife laying on the ground. She leaned out through the bars, stretching as far as she could to reach it. She'd just managed to grab it when Raidne turned to look at her. With no time to think, Astoria threw the knife as hard as she could. The handle hit Raidne in the head, and just as Raidne dived at Astoria with a fierce snarl on her face, the dream faded._

Astoria woke up in a cold sweat. She wiped tears from her eyes and sat up, reaching for Draco's hand. Once she had it, she didn't let go. 

"'Storia?" Draco murmured, one eye opening and a hand coming up to rest on her cheek. "Something wrong?" 

She shook her head, laying her head on his shoulder. "It's fine. Just...bad dream. You can go back to sleep." 

He nodded, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. "Alright..." Astoria stayed still until she heard his breathing gradually change to soft snores. She laid her head on his chest, sighing, and closed her eyes. This time, when she fell asleep, no dreams came to her. 


	12. Endings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally reached the final finale! A warning: this chapter gets dark. And sad. Hope you enjoy!

 

 

 

 

* * *

Draco woke up to Astoria clutching his hand and crying quietly. He frowned, resting his hand on her cheek. "'Storia?"  he said quietly. "Something wrong?"

She shook her head, laying her head on his shoulder. "It's fine," she murmured. "Just...bad dream. You can go back to sleep." Draco sighed, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her to his chest.

 "Alright..." he murmured, burying his face in her hair and closing his eyes. Before much time had passed, he had drifted off to sleep.

* * *

The next morning a shrill scream woke up most of Slytherin house. Students walked down the stairs, eyes widening at what they saw: Astoria Greengrass, pale as death,  a wild look in her eye and a pile of bloody robes on her lap. Her whole body shook as she sobbed uncontrollably, and even her sister couldn't console her. It was immediately obvious what was wrong, though; Only one student was absent from the dormitory.

"Stay in your dormitories," Professor Snape ordered. "I will inform the other professors of this, and we will look for Mister Malfoy." His dark gaze swept over the room. "Any questions?" 

After several seconds without any response, he waved his hand and the students went back to their dormitories. He grabbed Astoria's arm, pulling her to her feet. "Come with me," he said, half-dragging the distraught girl out of the common room and up the many flights of stairs to the Headmaster's office. Striding in without knocking, he pushed the girl forward, glaring at Professor Dumbledore. The old man stared calmly back, barely showing a sign of surprise. 

 "Severus," he said. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" 

 "One of my students is missing, and injured. I need all teachers on alert to find him." Professor Snape's voice was severe, and his black eyes stared, unblinking, into Dumbledore's crystal blue ones. 

 "Which student?" Dumbledore asked,.His voice suddenly grave. He looked at Astoria, as if just noticing the blood covering her face, hair, hands and clothes, and his brow furrowed. 

 "Draco Malfoy."  Snape didn't miss how Astoria flinched when he said the name. "This isn't the first time he's been absent, but I have reason to believe  he is badly injured." He gestured to the bloody robes that were still bundled in Astoria's arms. Astoria clutched the robes like a precious treasure, about to be stolen. 

Dumbledore's expression softened, and he stood, walking around the desk and kneeling down so he was at lower than eye-level with Astoria. "Miss Greengrass, do you know where Master Malfoy has gone?"

She sniffled, shaking her head. "N-n-no, s-sir." She looked down. "He just...disappeared. I don't know if I can explain..."

Dumbledore frowned. "Did anything happen before that?"

"There was a lot of blood, I think...I think he'd been stabbed." She swallowed hard, looking at Professor Dumbledore. "Then he just...vanished. Someone grabbed him and they disappeared. I think they Apparated." 

He nodded, standing, and looked at Severus. "Tell all the teachers. And get Madam Pomfrey ready with healing potions. Professor Hagrid and Professor Sprout may be of some help as well."

Severus nodded and turned around, his robes billowing behind him as he walked out of the office.  

"Miss Greengrass, I'm going to ask you a question now. It is crucial, for Draco Malfoy's sake, that you answer. Do you understand?" When Astoria nodded, he continued. "Now, has Draco Malfoy been marked by a Siren, or some other such creature?"

Astoria's eyes grew wide. "How did you know?" 

"He didn't try very hard to conceal it," Dumbledore said. "I may be an old man, but I'm an observant one. And I know the symptoms." 

"Professor, what's happened to him?"

"Miss Greengrass, I'd like you to go back to your dormitory and kindly ask your fellow students to take turns watching the bottom of the lake. If what I think has happened, has happened, he'll likely turn up in the nearest body of water."

"Professor, you're scaring me. The lake is enormous, who knows how long it will be until he's found ~~\--~~ "

"It's all we can do for now. Go back to your dormitory, and have faith." Astoria nodded, hurrying out the door. Dumbledore sighed, sitting down at his desk and picking up a quill. He had a lot of letters to write. 

* * *

Narcissa Malfoy  had just reached the edge of the gardens, where only a few small plants and bushes grew this time of year. She had her pruning shears in hand, and a shawl wrapped loosely around her shoulders as she set up a stool beside the largest ever-blooming rosebush, when a quiet groan startled her. She was immediately at arms, her wand in one hand and pruning shears in the other. She listened, following the sound whenever she heard it again. 

"Is somebody there?" She called. No answer came. She stepped around a large patch of moon roses, advancing forward, but what — who — she saw next stopped her in her tracks. 

 "Draco!" she gasped, dropping the shears and sprinting through the empty flower beds and down to the stream. She dropped to her knees, cradling her son's head in her lap, blood staining her dress. "Oh, dear Merlin...Lucius!" she called, looking over the gardens for her husband. "Lucius!" 

Lucius came running, his cloak swirling around him. He knelt beside his wife, his hand resting on his son's shoulder, which was cold to the touch. "We have to get him inside."

 Narcissa nodded, sliding her arms under Draco's shoulders and pulling him into a sitting position. Lucius wrapped one arm around Draco's shoulders and the other behind his knees, standing up. Narcissa stood, wiping her bloody hands on her dress. She followed Lucius through the gardens. 

Lucius carried Draco through the house, finally laying him on a bed in a guest room they usually reserved for treating injuries — As was more common than expected. Lighting the lamp on the bedside table, it was immediately clear that he was badly injured. A deep wound cut across his chest, like a knife had been plunged in deeply and then dragged across. His skin was pale as the silk sheets under him. His breathing was heavy and ragged, his teeth clenched. 

 "Get my kit," Lucius said, looking at Narcissa. "And call a Healer. Severus, too." Narcissa nodded, planting a quick kiss on Draco's forehead before hurrying off. Lucius drew his wand, running it over the cut. His diagnostic spells revealed it to be a very deep wound — causing damage to the ribs in some places. Not easy to heal.

 "Ngghhh..." Draco groaned, his eyes opening a little. He looked at Lucius, frowning. "Father...? What - where's Astoria?" Oddly, Draco didn't seem to care about the gaping wound in his chest. 

 "Astoria isn't here. Draco, how did you get here?" Lucius asked, resting a hand on his son's forehead.  _Fever. Probably too dazed to notice the pain._

 "I dunno...think someone stabbed me?" 

 _Shock, then. He's in shock._ Lucius frowned, looking towards the doorway. He could hear Narcissa's footsteps approaching, and he hoped she'd be back soon enough. 

"Father?" Draco murmured, his gaze unsteady. He looked slightly cross-eyed. "Father, I...I'm really, really sorry. I didn't mean for all this to happen..."

Lucius shook his head, conjuring a washcloth and carefully cleaning the blood from Draco's chest, though it didn't help much as it was still bleeding freely. "You are not the one at fault here, son." 

Draco  frowned, about to speak, but instead he cried out as his leg moved. He gasped and coughed, blood running down his chin. "W-water. I need water." Lucius nodded, Summoning a glass and magically filling it with water. He helped Draco into a sitting position, holding the glass to his lips so he could drink. 

 "Severus is on his way, he's bringing Wilhelmina," Narcissa said as she hurried in, dropping Lucius's healing potions kit on the bed. "They'll be here in less than ten minutes. And St. Mungo's is sending a Healer."

Lucius frowned. "I'm not sure he'll have that long," he said in a low voice. Draco had laid back down, his chest heaving with the effort of every breath. Lucius sighed, taking a clear-colored potion from his bag and pouring nearly the entire bottle over Draco's chest. He watched,  his eyes lit with hope as the wound started to heal...but just as quickly started bleeding again. Draco groaned, coughing. 

"I...I need water," he choked out. "Bath. Anything, please." 

Narcissa nodded. "Help me, Lucius." She lifted Draco under his arms, and Lucius lifted his legs. "We'll carry him to the sunroom, it's quicker than filling a bath..." Lucius nodded in agreement. 

The sunroom was a large room, with ceiling and walls made of glass, and a large pond in the middle of the room. Lilies and cattails grew around the edges of the pond, and stone benches were scattered among the gladiolus flowerbeds. It would have been beautiful in the moonlight had the situation not been so dire.

Narcissa and  Lucius set Draco down in the water, and Lucius ran to the drawing room to wait for Severus and Wilhelmina. Narcissa sat by the pond, running her hands through Draco's hair and trying to keep him calm. 

"You're going to be alright, Draco," she whispered. "You'll be fine."

Draco groaned quietly. At this point it was a miracle he was conscious at all. Narcissa reached into the water, taking his hand. "I love you," she whispered. "I know I don't say it much, and I know...you might not be able to hear me right now. But I do. Your father does too." 

At that moment, Lucius walked into the sunroom, followed closely by Severus Snape and Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank, the only magical creatures expert they knew who could fit through the Floo. 

Wilhelmina walked over, kneeling down quite easily for a woman of her age. She laid a hand on Draco's forehead, frowning. "His fever's rising."

"Is that good?" Narcissa asked, hopeful. Wilhelmina shook her head. 

"There's very little that can be done. Unless you happen to have fresh seaweed and sandstone." Wilhelmina sighed. "If not, then...there's nothing more I can do for him." 

 Narcissa's eyes widened, and she grabbed hold of Lucius's hand tightly.  "So? What will happen? What will happen to him?"

Wilhelmina sighed. "If he leaves the water, he will die. If he's left in the water —"

A piercing scream cut her off. She turned to look at Draco, whose eyes were now open wide. The irises were so dark they were nearly black, and his teeth were clenched. Blood ran down his cheeks from his eyes. 

"We have to go. Now." Wilhelmina stood, backing away from the pond. "He's holding back. It won't last long." 

Narcissa shook her head. "We are not leaving him." She held Lucius's hand tightly. "He's our son, and we're not leaving him alone when he's hurt."

Wilhelmina shook her head. "You've never seen a transformation, have you? It's painful. Drives you mad." She looked over at Draco. "He'd rather be alone, believe me. I've gotten too many scars from being too close during a transformation." She rolled up a sleeve, showing the long, uniform scars that ran from wrist to elbow. 

 Narcissa's eyes widened, and she glanced to Draco. "Alright, " she said, hurrying to quickly kiss Draco's head before running out. Lucius cast a regretful glance at his son before following Narcissa out. Wilhelmina sighed, closing the door behind all of them just as the screams started again. 

* * *

Draco knew it would hurt, but he was unprepared for the overwhelming sensations he felt next. 

Torture. 

Fire. 

Fire, Ice. Burning, freezing, melting. 

And that was just the outside. 

His legs felt like they were being torn off. His chest ached with every breath, and his heart was pounding. Every beat was like a  _reducto_  fired near his head. Blood ran down his face from his stinging eyes, and even the dim  moonlight shining through the glass ceiling above made his head ache like he'd been hit with a hammer. 

That alone would have been enough. But then the real transformation began. 

His spine felt like someone had grabbed onto the end and pulled. There was a loud  _crack!_ as his hips shifted, and he cried out in pain, twisting around in the water. His nails dug into the soft earth at the side of the pond, but it crumbled in his hands. He clung desperately to a reed, screaming and sobbing as his legs continued to shift, break, twist and crack. He choked for breath as his face dipped under the surface and bloody, muddy water rushed into his mouth, making him cough and splutter.  The water swirled and tossed around him, though not by his doing, and the wound on his chest bled more and more, draining him of energy. 

After what seemed like hours — Likely only a few minutes — his thrashing stopped. The pain in his legs was replaced with a warm, comforting feeling, like a warm blanket settling over him. The wound in his chest closed, and he slowly let go of the reed he had held onto so tightly. His energy slowly returned, and when he opened his eyes the moon shining down was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen. But something else was in his mind: a quiet song, like a soft lullaby from the sea. Like water rushing over stones, calling to him. He'd have to get out of here before he could answer, though. He swam over to the wall, sighing, and leaned against it, his blood-red tail swishing lazily through the water behind him as he tried to find a way out. 

* * *

Hearing the screams and cries stop, Wilhelmina had decreed that it was now safe to enter the sunroom. Lucius and Narcissa looked at each other, hesitant, before standing and walking through the halls to the sunroom again. Narcissa took a deep breath, resting her hand lightly on the doorknob, before turning it and pushing the door open. 

"Draco?" she called as she and Lucius stepped into the room. Their son was lying on his stomach, his lower half still in the pond, gazing out through the glass wall. He turned at the sound of his mother's voice, his eyes wide and a small smile on his face.

 "Hello?" He said politely. His voice was hoarse, his face covered in blood, and he  was glancing slowly from Narcissa to Lucius. "Can I help you?"

"Oh, Draco, you're alright!" Narcissa sighed in relief and ran around the pond, falling to her knees in front of Draco and wrapping her arms tightly around him and sobbing quietly. He stiffened, staring at her curiously. 

"Is something wrong?" He asked, cocking his head to the side. He looked at Lucius, biting his lip with newly pointed teeth. "She's making these noises." 

Lucius frowned. "Son..." 

Draco shook his head, pointing up at the dark sky. "Sun's not up yet," he said with a note of confusion in his voice. "You can't tell?"

Lucius's eyes widened. "Narcissa..." he said quietly. "Narcissa, I don't think..."

"Can you tell me how to get out of here?" Draco looked around the sunroom. "It's a very nice place, but a bit cramped."

Narcissa frowned, pulling away from Draco and looking at him. "Draco, don't you recognize me? Us?" 

"Should I?" 

Lucius frowned, waving his wand and catching the large book that came flying into the room. He frowned. "Narcissa. He can't recognize us." 

"What do you mean, Lucius?" Narcissa stood, walking over and reading the page over Lucius's shoulder. " _'After transformation, subject may retain little to no memory, depending on the severity of injury before transformation'._ " She frowned, looking over at Draco, who was watching, looking puzzled.

"Have I done something wrong? " he asked, his brow furrowed in concern. 

Narcissa shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "No, you haven't," she whispered, turning away. "It's all my...all my fault." She turned and ran out, her footsteps echoing through the halls. Lucius sighed, shutting his book and walking out to comfort his wife, and leaving Draco alone in the sunroom. Draco frowned, unable to shake the feeling he'd done something wrong, and sighed, ducking under the water and sinking to the bottom of the pond, where he curled up, closing his eyes. 

* * *

_"Draco."_

_He looked up as he heard the voice. So familiar and yet so unfamiliar at once. He found himself face-to-face with a beautiful girl. Her brown eyes were bright as the moon, and her black, silky hair swirled around her like the seaweed that covered the floor of the pond. Draco was almost entranced ~~\--~~_   _but he knew why she was there._

_"Raidne," he whispered. The  word was surprisingly audible under the water. The girl pouted, crossing her arms._

_"I see you haven't forgotten me," she murmured. "It's a shame they're keeping you locked up. I know how that feels. But it doesn't matter. I'll find you easier this way."_

_He shook his head. "No. I won't be with you." His hand went to his chest, fingering the scar that laid there, shocking white and glowing slightly. Raidne chuckled._

_"Remembering?" she asked sweetly, placing a hand under his chin. "I helped you become what you are, Draco."_

_"And now I don't need your help anymore." He pushed her hand away, glaring at her._

_"You'll be lost without me," she crooned, cradling his cheek. "You won't know how to find prey, or shelter..."_

_"I'll figure it out," he snapped, swatting her hand away again and turning away._

_"Alright, but don't say I didn't warn you..." Draco felt her hands grasp his shoulders, rough lips pressing a kiss to his neck, then disappearing. "I will find you again," were the words that echoed around him, deafeningly loud._

Draco woke up, shivering, and swam to the surface of the pond. The sun had risen, but it didn't do much to warm up the freezing water. Memories were flooding through his mind, making his head ache. He ran his hands through his hair, not caring about the scratches his nails left on his scalp. If anything it helped distract him  from the pounding headache. 

He realized that the longer he stayed here, the easier Raidne would find him. He looked out the window, trying to remember — did the creeks and rivers in the surrounding woods lead to the sea? Eventually they must, he thought. He swam to the bottom of the pond, searching around until he found what he was looking for; Years before he'd supervised an elf installing a cleaning system, which drained out into the pond in the grounds. Hearing footsteps approaching, he took his chance, heaving the plug out of the drain, ignoring the rush of apprehension he got staring into the dark, gaping hole, and diving down into the darkness. 

* * *

Narcissa ran into the sunroom, closely followed by Lucius, after hearing a piercing wail. Fearing that Draco had gotten hurt, or worse, they rushed across the manor. What they found instead was quite possibly worse.

The pond was completely empty, and drained of all its water. At the bottom of the empty pond, among the water lilies and weeds that grew there, laid a large iron plug, and a few feet away a large, immeasurably deep hole, a few dark red scales littering the ground around it.  

Their son was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, we've finally done it! The tale is coming to an end. Thank you so much to all my readers who've stuck by me to the end. And who knows? Maybe I'll write a sequel sometime! (After I've finished a few of my other stories, of course.) 
> 
> Thanks again to everybody who read, commented, bookmarked or left kudos. I love you all. 
> 
> Mischief Managed! 


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